Rate My Professor Rolf Scharfbillig

Dr Rolf Scharfbillig is a podiatrist with over 35 years of clinical experience and more than 25 years of teaching in the university sector. He serves as a part-time Lecturer in Podiatry at the School of Allied Health and Human Performance, College of Health, Adelaide University, where he teaches Podiatric Biomechanics in the second and third years of the Podiatry course. His teaching encompasses orthotic design and provision, gait analysis, and pathomechanics—the underlying reasons for symptoms. Scharfbillig has worked in public and private settings, contributed to professional registration and course accreditation bodies, and maintains private practices at Family Medical Practice in Para Vista, Surrey Downs Medical Centre, and Mortlock Clinic in Port Lincoln. Previously, at the University of South Australia (now Adelaide University), he conducted research and supervised students.

Scharfbillig earned his PhD in 2006 investigating risk factors for Sever's Disease. His research focuses on Sever's Disease (calcaneal apophysitis), children's foot disorders, podiatric biomechanics, the effectiveness of emollients for foot xerosis, and links between foot measurement systems. He is eligible to co-supervise Masters and PhD students and currently supervises postgraduate research in clinical science and health sciences. Notable publications include: Scharfbillig, R. W., Jones, S., & Scutter, S. D. (2008). "Sever's disease: What does the literature really tell us?" Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 98(3), 212-223; Scharfbillig, R. W., Jones, S., & Scutter, S. (2011). "Sever's disease: a prospective study of risk factors." Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 101(2), 133-145; Parker, J., Scharfbillig, R., & Jones, S. (2017). "Moisturisers for the treatment of foot xerosis: a systematic review." Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 10(1), 9; Uden, H., Scharfbillig, R., & Causby, R. (2017). "The typically developing paediatric foot: How flat should it be? A systematic review." Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 10(1), 17; Copper, A. W., Scharfbillig, R., et al. (2021). "Identifying lower limb problems and the types of safety footwear worn in the Australian wine industry: a cross-sectional survey." Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 14(1), 58.