Rate My Professor Thorlene Egerton

Thorlene Egerton is an Associate Professor, senior lecturer, and senior research fellow in the Department of Physiotherapy within the Melbourne School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne. She is a senior researcher in the Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine. A qualified physiotherapist, Egerton holds a PhD in Physiotherapy, an MPhil (Research) in Bioengineering, and a postgraduate diploma in Biomechanics. Prior to her PhD, she gained extensive clinical experience in various healthcare settings in Australia and overseas, with expertise in rehabilitation, particularly for stroke, osteoporosis, and falls prevention. She received the Freda Bale Fellowship from the Australian Federation of University Women-Queensland Branch during her PhD candidacy. Currently, she teaches courses focusing on health behaviour change, evaluation, and research methods.

Egerton's research centers on addressing the evidence-practice gap in primary care management of osteoarthritis and other chronic conditions. Her work involves designing models of health service delivery to implement evidence-based practice, including new service delivery models and effective patient education strategies. She has contributed to numerous studies on exercise interventions, telehealth programs, and patient outcomes for knee and hip osteoarthritis. Key publications include 'Effect of physical therapy on pain and function in patients with hip osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial' (JAMA, 2014, 252 citations), 'Meta-analysis of the relationship between breaks in sedentary behavior and cardiometabolic health' (Obesity, 2015, 462 citations), and 'Physical therapist-delivered pain coping skills training and exercise for knee osteoarthritis: randomized controlled trial' (Arthritis Care & Research, 2016, 228 citations). Other notable works cover telephone coaching for physical activity programs and systematic reviews on osteoarthritis management barriers. Her research has influenced clinical guidelines and telehealth interventions for osteoarthritis pain reduction through diet and exercise.