Fiona Higgs

PhD Student, Biomechanics
Photograph of Fiona Higgs.

Contact

Email: fhh09@aber.ac.uk
Phone: 01970 622306

Research

Principal areas of interest:

Biomechanical, Physiological and Psychological parameters influencing risk of falling in older people.

Current Research

Fiona’s PhD is part of a collaborative research project between the NHS Trust in Mid-Wales and the Department of Sport and Exercise Science at Aberystwyth University. The project is to clinically monitor changes in Biomechanical, Physiological and Psychological parameters known to directly influence the risk of falling in older people, over the course of their participation in a falls prevention programme, in both hospital and community settings. It is hoped that the findings may be used in the development of a Mid-Wales falls prevention programme template, and will contribute to a standardized dataset in Wales.

Biography

Fiona completed a BSc (Hons) in Sport & Exercise Science at Aberystwyth University, graduating in June 2008 and her dissertation research has since been published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (see below). Following graduation, Fiona worked as a Learner Support Advisor at Matthew Boulton College of Further and Higher Education, Birmingham, and qualified as a Sports Massage Therapist (Level 3 Certificate, Active IQ). In October 2009, she began her PhD and teaching assistantship at Aberystwyth University under the supervision of Dr Sam Winter and Dr Joanne Thatcher. 

Staff Publications

Higgs, F. and Winter, S. L. (2009) The effect of a four week proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching program on isokinetic torque production. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25, 1442-1447.