Associate Professor Lisa Harvey
BAppSc GradDipAppSc (ExSpSc) MAppSc PhD

Lisa Harvey
Lisa is a physiotherapist with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy), Graduate Diploma of Applied Science (Exercise and Sport Science), Masters of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) and PhD. She is both a clinician and a researcher with over 20 years experience in the area of spinal cord injuries. She is primarily interested in clinical trials designed to determine the effectiveness of different physiotherapy interventions for people with spinal cord injury. She has research experience in a diverse range of topics including contracture and hand management of people with tetraplegia, orthotic gait along with exercise and respiratory physiology. She teaches widely both nationally and internationally, and has been the recipient of numerous grants and scholarships. She initiated and continues to manage a website of physiotherapy exercises appropriate for people with neurological conditions (www.physiotherapyexercises.com). In addition, she recently completed a book titled: Management of spinal cord injuries: a guide for physiotherapists (see below).

Recent Publications

2009

  • Ben M, Harvey L (2009). (Advance online) Regular stretch does not increase muscle extensibility: a randomized controlled trial. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport, DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.00926.x:1-9.
  • Boswell-Ruys CL, Harvey LA, Barker JJ, Ben M, Middleton JW, Lord SR (2009). (Online First) Training unsupported sitting in people with chronic spinal cord injuries: a randomized controlled trial. Spinal Cord, .(.):1-6.
  • Boswell-Ruys C, Sturnieks D, Harvey L, Sherrington C, Middleton J, Lord S (2009). Validity and reliability of assessment tools for measuring unsupported sitting in people with spinal cord injuries. Archives of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, 90:1571-1577.
  • Harvey L, Herbert R, Glinsky J, Moseley A, Bowden J (2009). Effects of six months of regular passive movements on ankle joint mobility in people with spinal cord injury: A randomised controlled trial. Spinal Cord, 47(1):62-66.
  • Harvey L, Lin C, Glinksy J, De Wolf A (2009). (Review) The effectiveness of physical interventions for people with spinal cord injuries: A systematic review. Spinal Cord, 47(3):184-195.
  • Harvey L, Marino R (2009). (Invited review) The walking index for spinal cord injury. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy, 55(1):66.
  • Law RYW, Harvey L, Nicholas MK, Tonkin L, De Sousa M, Finniss DG (2009). Stretch exercises increase tolerance to stretch in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: a randomized controlled trial. Physical Therapy, 89(10):1-11.
  • Ross L, Harvey L, Lannin N (2009). Do people with acquired brain impairment benefit from additional therapy specifically directed at the hand? A randomized controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 23(6):492-503.

2008

Harvey L (2008). (Book) Management of people with spinal cord injuries: a guide for physiotherapists. (Elsevier: London. ISBN-13: 978 0 443 06858 4)

Dr Lisa Harvey has recently finished her book on physiotherapy management of spinal cord injuries. In her book, she combines 25 years of clinical, research and teaching experience to provide physiotherapists with an innovative five-step approach to the physiotherapy management of people with SCI.

Based on the International Classification of Functioning, this approach emphasizes the importance of setting goals which are purposeful and meaningful to the patient. These goals are related to performance of motor tasks analysed in terms of six key impairments. The assessment and treatment of each of these impairments for people with SCI is described in the book.

Dr Harvey develops readers’ problem-solving skills equipping them to manage all types of spinal cord injuries. Central to these skills is an understanding of how people with different patterns of paralysis perform motor tasks and the importance of different muscles for motor tasks.

This book is for students and junior physiotherapists with little or no experience in the area of spinal cord injury but with a general understanding of the principles of physiotherapy. It is also a useful resource for experienced clinicians keen to explore the evidence base of different physiotherapy interventions.

  • Glinsky J, Harvey L, Korten M, Drury C, Chee S, Gandevia SC (2008). Short-term progressive resistance exercise may not be effective at increasing wrist strength in people with tetraplegia: a randomised controlled trial. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy, 54(1):103-108.
  • Harvey L (2008). (Book) Management of people with spinal cord injuries: a guide for physiotherapists. (Elsevier: London. ISBN-13: 978 0 443 06858 4)
  • Harvey L, Lin C, Glinsky J, de Wolf AC (2008). (Online first) The effectiveness of physical interventions for people with spinal cord injuries: A systematic review. Spinal Cord, doi: 10.1038/sc.2008.100:1-10.
  • Katalinic OM, Harvey LA, Herbert RD, Moseley AM, Lannin NA, Schurr K (2008). (Protocol) Stretch interventions for contractures. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4):1-15.
  • Moseley A, Hassett LM, Leung J, Clare JS, Herbert RD, L Harvey (2008). Serial casting versus positioning for the treatment of elbow contractures in adults with traumatic brain injury: a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 22(5):406-417.
  • Ross L, Harvey L, Lannin NA (2008). (Abstract) A randomised controlled trial of upper limb motor training after acquired brain impairment. Brain Impairment, 9(1):91.

2007

  • Glinsky J, Harvey L, van Es P (2007). (Online First) Efficacy of electrical stimulation to increase muscle strength in people with neurological conditions: a systematic review. Physiotherapy Research International, 12(3):175-195.
  • Harvey L (2007). (Letter) Does heat increase knee range of motion? Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 87(12):1673.
  • Harvey L (2007). Stretch for the management of contractures: evidence does not support it. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 14(12):524-525.
  • Harvey L, Baillie R, Ritchie B, Simpson D, Prionello D, Glinksy J (2007). Does three months of nightly splinting reduce the extensibility of the flexor pollicis longus muscle in people with tetraplegia? Physiotherapy Research International, 12(1):5-13.

2006

  • Folpp H, Deall S, Harvey LA, Gwinn T (2006). Can apparent increases in muscle extensibility with regular stretch be explained by changes in tolerance to stretch? Australian Journal of Physiotherapy, 52(1):45-50.
  • Harvey L (2006). (Commentary) An enhanced wheelchair-skills training program improved the competency of manual wheelchair users. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 53(1):56-57.
  • Harvey L (2006). (Online letter) Are the effects of stretch sustained? British Journal of Sports Medicine, http://bjsm.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/40/10/870
  • Harvey L, de Jong I, Goehl G, Armstrong B, Allaous J (2006). A torque-controlled device to measure passive abduction of the thumb carpometacarpal joint. Journal of Hand Therapy, 19(4):403-408.
  • Harvey L, de Jong I, Goehl G, Marwedel S (2006). Twelve weeks of nightly stretch for the treatment of thumb web-space contractures. A randomized controlled trial. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy, 52(4):251-258.
  • Middleton JW, Harvey LA, Batty J, Cameron I, Quirk R, Winstanley J (2006). Five additional mobility and locomotor items to improve responsiveness of the FIM in wheelchair-dependent individuals with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord, 44(8):495-504.

2005

  • Ben M, Harvey L , Denis S , Glinsky J , Goehl G, Chee S , Herbert R (2005). Does 12 weeks of regular standing prevent loss of ankle mobility and bone mineral density in people with recent spinal cord injuries. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy, 51(4):251-256.
  • Harvey L, Simpson D, Glinsky J, Pirronello D, McLean S (2005). Quantifying the passive extensibility of the flexor pollicis longus muscle in people with tetraplegia. Spinal Cord, 43(10):620-624.

Other Publications

  • Harvey L and Herbert R (2002) Letter to the editor: Muscle stretching for the treatment and prevention of contracture in people with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 40:423.
    • Structured abstract on the NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination for systematic review Harvey L, Crosbie J and Herbert R (2002) Does regular stretch produce lasting increases in joint range of motion? A systematic review. Physiotherapy Research International. 7:1-13.
  • Harvey L (2006) A formalised wheelchair-skills training program improves the competency of manual wheelchair users (invited commentary) Australian Journal of Occupational Therapy. 53: 58 on MacPhee AH, Kirby L, Coolen AL, Smith C, MacLeod DA, and Dupuis DJ (2004) Wheelchair skills training program: A randomized clinical trial of wheelchair users undergoing initial rehabilitation. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 85: 41-50.
  • Harvey L (2006) Letter to the editor. Effect of heat in increasing the range of knee motion after the development of a joint contracture: an experiment with an animal model. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 87: 1673.
  • Harvey L (2006) Are the effects of stretch sustained? Letter to the editor. British Journal of Sports Medicine [Online].
  • Harvey L (2007) Stretch for the management of contractures. Evidence does not support it (invited editorial). International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. 14: 524–525.
  • Katalinic OM, Harvey LA, Herbert RD, Moseley AM, Lannin NA, Schurr K (2008) Stretch interventions for contractures [Protocol]. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Issue 4.
  • Harvey L, Marino R (accepted 22.12.08) The Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (invited review). Australian Journal of Physiotherapy.

Earlier Publications

  • Gass E, Harvey L, Gass G (1995) Maximal physiological responses during arm cranking and treadmill wheelchair propulsion in T4-6 paraplegic men. Paraplegia. 33:267-270.
  • Harvey L, King M, Herbert R (1995) Reliability of a tool for measuring the length of long finger flexor muscles. Journal of Hand Therapy. 7:251-254.
  • Harvey L (1996) Principles of conservative non-orthotic management for a tenodesis grip. Journal of Hand Therapy. 9:238-242.
  • Harvey L and Ellis E (1996) The effect of CPAP on lung volumes in quadriplegics. Paraplegia. 34:54-58.
  • Harvey L, Smith M, Engel S, Davis G (1997) Functional outcomes attained by T9-12 paraplegic patients with the Walkabout and Isocentric Reciprocal Gait orthoses. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 78:706-711.
  • Harvey L, Newton-John T, Engel S, Davis G, Smith M (1997) A comparison of the attitude of paraplegic individuals to the Walkabout Orthosis and the Isocentric Reciprocal Gait Orthosis. Spinal Cord. 35:580-584.
  • Harvey L, Davis G, Smith M, Engel S (1998) Energy expenditure during gait using the Walkabout and Isocentric Reciprocal Gait orthoses in person with paraplegia. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 79:945-949.
  • Harvey L, Batty J, Fahey A (1998) Reliability of a tool for assessing mobility in wheelchair-dependent paraplegics. Spinal Cord. 36:427-431.
  • Harvey L and Crosbie J (1999) Weight bearing through flexed upper limbs in quadriplegics with paralyzed triceps brachii muscles. Spinal cord. 37:780-785.
  • Harvey L and Crosbie J (2000) A biomechanical analysis of a weight relief maneuver in C5 and C6 quadriplegics. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 81:500-505.
  • Harvey L, Batty J, Crosbie J, Herbert R (2000) A randomized trial assessing the effects of 4 weeks of daily stretching on ankle mobility in patients with spinal cord injuries. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 81:1340-1347.
  • Harvey L, Batty J, Jones R, Crosbie J (2000) Hand function in C6 and C7 quadriplegics managed conservatively, 1 to 16 years following injury. Spinal Cord. 39:37-43.
  • Harvey L and Crosbie J (2001) Effect of elbow flexion contractures on the ability of C5 and C6 tetraplegics to perform a weight relief manoeuvre. Physiotherapy Research International. 6:76-82.
  • Harvey L, Crosbie J, Herbert R (2002) Does regular stretch produce lasting increases in joint range of motion? A systematic review. Physiotherapy Research International. 7:1-13.
  • Harvey L, Herbert R (2002) Muscle stretching for treatment and prevention of contracture in people with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord. 40:1-9.
  • Harvey L, McQuade L, Hawthorne S, Byak A (2003) Quantifying the magnitude of torque physiotherapists apply when stretching the hamstring muscles of people with spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 84:1072-1075.
  • Harvey L, Byak A, Ostrovskaya M, Glinsky J, Katte L, Herbert R (2003) Randomized trial of the effects of four weeks of daily stretch on extensibility of hamstring muscles in people with spinal cord injuries. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy. 49:176-181.
  • Harvey L, Byak A, Ostrovskaya M, Glinsky J (2003) Reliability of a device designed to measure ankle mobility. Spinal Cord. 41:559-562.