PhD Studentship: Developing a novel assessment of abdominal wall function before and after hernia surgery

Project description:

Abdominal wall function (AWF) represents the interplay of muscles, nerves, fascia and subcutaneous tissues. AWF is important, complex and poorly understood, with wide-reaching implications in the abdomen and almost all areas of physical function. It is commonly affected by hernias and surgery, which can significantly disrupt physical functioning and quality of life (QoL). Restoration of AWF is a key goal of hernia repair, however, there are no standardised accepted assessment tools. Assessment in practice and research is limited to symptoms or simple non-specific clinical tests, and so AWF cannot be used as a benchmark, predictor, or a research endpoint to assess interventions.

The aim of this studentship is to explore, modify and generate novel and clinically-relevant tools to assess AWF, within the context of large ventral hernias.

The student will undertake critical appraisal of sports, exercise, physiotherapy, hernia and abdominal surgery literature to identify candidate tools and metrics, and identify gaps. These may include muscle strength, symmetry, morphology and coordination; abdominal morphology and symmetry; movement quality; and posture, gait and overall physical functioning. Metrics may be clinical (including physical performance tasks validated in related fields), biomechanical (including dynamometry, force and motion capture), radiological (ultrasound and CT), and physiological. These will be evaluated and refined in controls and patients with hernias (before and after repair), and tested against QoL.

The studentship will be undertaken at the University of Exeter Medical School in collaboration with the BRC Rehabilitation theme, experts in Sports Science, and clinical expertise in North Devon.

This studentship would ideally suit a physiotherapist, sport scientist or biomechanist and offers opportunities to develop international expertise in a common but complex under-investigated field and to develop transferable and highly interdisciplinary research skills.

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