The Department of Physiotherapy within the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS), in collaboration with the Health Professions Education Committee, hosted a distinguished guest lecture titled "A Physiotherapist’s Journey to Enable Active Living" at the Korle-Bu Campus.
Delivered by Professor Maria Stokes (OBE, PhD, FCSP), Emeritus Professor of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation at the University of Southampton, UK, the lecture drew an enthusiastic audience of students, clinical practitioners, faculty members, and institutional leaders. Over the course of her presentation, Prof. Stokes reflected on her four-decade career as a clinical researcher, outlining how fundamental science, novel medical technologies, and community-driven research intersect to promote active living and healthy ageing across the lifespan.
Advancing Joint Health and Preventing Premature Frailty
Addressing one of the critical global health challenges of the century, Prof. Stokes underscored the fundamental role of physical activity in managing and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular conditions. Drawing from her foundational research at the University of Oxford, she detailed the physiological mechanisms of arthrogenous muscle weakness. Joint injury or inflammation often triggers reflex inhibition, preventing normal voluntary muscle activation and leading to rapid muscle wasting.
To break this cycle, Prof. Stokes highlighted the necessity of targeted neuromuscular exercise programmes. Evidence-based routines, such as the 11+ warm-up in sports and the GLA:D programme for knee and hip osteoarthritis, optimize joint alignment, sensorimotor control, and muscle coordination. These targeted interventions not only reduce injury risk among athletes and military personnel but also preserve functional independence in older adults, effectively delaying the onset of premature frailty.
Bridging Space Research and Earthbound Healthcare Technologies
A major highlight of the lecture was Prof. Stokes’ pioneering work with health technologies, particularly Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging (RUSI) and Myoton digital point-compression devices. Ultrasound imaging has transformed how physiotherapists evaluate muscle structure and fat infiltration non-invasively, providing critical diagnostic and biofeedback data when traditional strength testing is impossible due to severe pain, critical illness, or cognitive impairment.
Prof. Stokes also detailed her collaborative research supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA aboard the International Space Station (ISS). By monitoring changes in astronaut muscle stiffness and tone caused by microgravity, her team developed robust testing protocols using Myoton technology. Remarkably, these space-tested protocols are now being translated back to terrestrial clinical practice to enhance rehabilitation for patients living with Parkinson’s disease, intensive care survivors, and individuals recovering from severe neurological conditions.
Addressing Health Inequalities Through Community Co-Production
Extending her focus to global health equity, Prof. Stokes presented findings from the UK-wide Co-POWeR consortium, which investigated the wellbeing and resilience of ethnic minority communities. She stressed that standard public health messaging is insufficient on its own; long-term improvements in physical activity and nutrition require structural and systemic changes co-produced directly with local communities.
This collaborative philosophy underpins Prof. Stokes’ ongoing academic partnerships in Ghana. Working alongside researchers from the University of Ghana, the University for Development Studies, and the Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC), her collaborative projects focus on evaluating stroke rehabilitation pathways, assessing community awareness, and validating non-invasive muscle stiffness measures in Ghanaian clinical settings.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Health Professionals
Prof. Stokes concluded her lecture with practical guidance for undergraduate and postgraduate students aspiring to build impactful clinical and academic careers. She urged students to seek early mentorship, embrace multidisciplinary partnerships across fields like bioengineering and neurology, and embed their research within broader international networks. Emphasizing perseverance and academic integrity, she encouraged the audience to view career challenges as opportunities for innovation and to prioritize patient and public involvement at every stage of research.