Rate My Professor Olivia Galea

Dr. Olivia Galea is a Lecturer in Health Sciences at the University of Otago, affiliated with the School of Physiotherapy and the Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research (CHARR) in Dunedin, New Zealand. Her academic background includes a PhD from the University of Queensland (completed 2020), a Master of Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal), and a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy). She joined the University of Otago as a Lecturer in May 2022, following her role as a Casual Clinical Educator at the University of Queensland School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Her PhD thesis examined whether impairments persist beyond expected recovery times after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and their relationship to self-reported symptoms.

Olivia Galea's research interests focus on the cervical spine, sensorimotor systems, and physiological changes following concussion and mTBI, with applications to rehabilitation and injury prevention in sports and clinical settings. Notable publications include "Sensorimotor and Physiological Indicators of Impairment in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Meta-Analysis" (Galea et al., Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 2018), "Cervical musculoskeletal impairments in migraine and tension type headache: a systematic review and meta-analysis" (Liang et al., Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 2019), "Single and dual tandem gait assessment post concussion: what performance time is clinically relevant across adult ages and what can influence results?" (Galea et al., Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 2019), "Cervical musculoskeletal and sensorimotor impairments 4 weeks to 6 months following mild traumatic brain injury: An observational cohort study" (Galea et al., Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 2022), "An investigation of sensorimotor impairments in individuals 4 weeks to 6 months following mild traumatic brain injury" (Galea et al., Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2022), and "An investigation of physiological system impairments in individuals 4 weeks to 6 months following mild traumatic brain injury" (Galea et al., Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 2023). With over 950 citations, her contributions advance evidence-based physiotherapy practices for post-concussion recovery. She actively leads clinical studies on concussion screening and management.