Movement Sciences
Source: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/research/units/hls/groups/movement-science-group Parent: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/engage-and-innovate/consultancy
Group Leader(s): Professor Patrick Esser
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About us
Research impact
Leadership
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About us Research impact Leadership
About us
We are a multidisciplinary group of researchers, clinicians, and lecturers, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and colleagues from allied disciplines. Our work is underpinned by a shared commitment to occupational science, a field concerned with understanding and evidencing the relationships between people’s everyday occupations and their health and wellbeing.
We conduct high-quality, health-related, occupation-centred research that advances the occupational science evidence base, informs theoretical development, and translates knowledge into clinical and practice contexts. Our research addresses real-world challenges in health and social care, supporting the development, implementation, and evaluation of occupational therapy interventions across diverse populations and settings.
Together we have been involved in the successful development, validation and implementation of novel clinical outcome measurements such as:
- Gait analysis based on single inertial measurement units to monitor gait abnormalities with potential diagnostic power
- Physical Activity measurements and data analysis suitable for adolescents, adults and those with clinical conditions
- Rhythmic stepping outcomes for the identification of motor problems in children
Part of
- School of Sport, Nutrition and Allied Health Professions
- Centre for Movement, Occupational and Rehabilitation Sciences (MOReS)
Related courses
- Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) (MSc)
- Physiotherapy (BSc (Hons))
- Sport and Exercise Science (BSc (Hons))
- Sport, Coaching and Physical Education (BSc (Hons))
Research impact
Over the past few years, we have developed a smartphone-based device which, given its ultra sensitivity, can potentially aid in the diagnosis of a range of conditions before the manifestations of obvious clinical symptoms. This unique approach is quick, accessible and could have substantial impact on international healthcare systems.
The vast range of exciting projects links us with clinical and academic experts from world renowned institutions in the UK, such as the University of Oxford and University College London, as well as internationally, such as McGill University (Canada) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).
Leadership
Professor Patrick Esser
Professor of Sport and Rehabilitation Technology
View profile for Patrick Esser
Key Publications
2025
- Dubbeldam R, Stemplewski R, Pavlova I, Cyma-Wejchenig M, Lee S, Esser P, et al. Technology-Assisted Physical Activity Interventions for Older People in Their Home-Based Environment: Scoping Review. JMIR Aging. 2025;8:e65746.
- Lo HTF, Malmberg LE, Helena Maria Heemskerk CH, Esser P, Dawes H, Roebers CM. Affect and executive function dynamics in primary school classrooms: an intensive longitudinal study. Cognition & emotion. 2025;39(5):1051-63.
2024
- B.D. Weedon, P. Esser, J. Collett, H. Izadi, M. Inacio, S. Joshi, A. Meaney, A. Delextrat, S. Kemp, H. Dawes. “The effects of cognitive-motor interference on walking performance in adolescents with low balance.” Gait & posture 114(202-207), 2024
- H.T Fung Lo, L. Malmberg, C.H.H.M. Heemskerk, P. Esser, H. Dawes, C.M. Roebers. “Affect and executive function dynamics in primary school classrooms: an intensive longitudinal study.” Cognition and Emotion 2024 (1-13)
- L. Huang, Z. Xia, D. Wade, J. Liu, G. Zhou, C. Yu, H. Dawes, P. Esser, S. Wei, J. Song. “Knee osteoarthritis pendulum therapy: In vivo evaluation and a randomised, single-blind feasibility clinical trial.” Journal of Orthopaedic Translation 45(266-276)
2023
- R. Baskerville, N. Krijgsveld, P. Esser, G. Jeffery, J. Poulton. “The Effect of Photobiomodulation on the Treatment of Hereditary Mitochondrial Diseases” Journal of Lasers in Medical Sciences (2023)14, e41-e41
- M. Inacio, P. Esser, B.D. Weedon, S. Joshi, A. Meaney, A. Delextrat, D. Springett, S. Kemp, T. Ward, H. Izadi, H. Johansen-Berg, H. Dawes. ”Learning a novel rhythmic stepping task in children with probable developmental coordination disorder” Clinical Biomechanics 102, 105904
- E. Al-Yahya, P. Esser, B.D. Weedon, S. Joshi, Y. Liu, D.N. Springett, P. Salvan, A. Meaney, J. Collett, M. Inacio, A. Delextrat, S. Kemp, T. Ward, H. Izadi, H. Johansen-Berg, H. Ayaz, H.Dawes. “Motor learning in developmental coordination disorder: behavioral and neuroimaging study” Frontiers in neuroscience 2023 (17), Frontiers in neuroscience 17, 1187790
2022
- Joshi, S., B. D. Weedon, P. Esser, Y. C. Liu, D. N. Springett, A. Meaney, M. Inacio, A. Delextrat, S. Kemp, T. Ward, H. Izadi, H. Dawes and H. Ayaz (2022). "Neuroergonomic assessment of developmental coordination disorder." Sci Rep 12(1): 10239.