Published reviews and trials

We have published reviews and trials of physical activity, exercise and sport interventions for older adults, people with disabilities, people with frailty, and people after hip fracture.

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Improved mobility from functional exercise

Safe Exercise at Home website https://www.safeexerciseathome.org.au/

 

Supported by digital devices (AMOUNT trial)

• Hassett L, van den Berg M, Lindley RI, Crotty M, McCluskey A, van der Ploeg H, Smith ST, Schurr K, Howard K, Hackett ML, Killington M, Bongers B, Togher T, Treacy D, Dorsch S, Wong S, Scrivener K, Chagpar S, Weber H, Heritier S, Sherrington C. Digitally-enabled aged care and neurological rehabilitation to enhance outcomes with Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) in Australia: RCT. PLOS Medicine. 2020 Feb: 17(2):

• Hassett L, van den Berg M, Weber H, Chagpar S, Wong S, Rabie A, McCluskey A, Lindley RI, Crotty M, Sherrington C. Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) rehabilitation trial - description of device use and physiotherapy support in the post-hospital phase. Disabil Rehabil. 2021 Dec;43(24):3454-3460

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TOP-UP trial

• Dawson R, Pinheiro M, Oliveira J, Haynes A, Naganathan V, Taylor ME, Bowes N, Nelson K, Rayner J, Sherrington C. The Telephysiotherapy for Older People (TOP- UP) program for improving mobility in people receiving aged care: a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation randomised controlled trial. Med J Aust. 2025 Aug 18;223(4):205-213. doi: 10.5694/mja2.70004.

• Dawson RP, Gilchrist H, Pinheiro M, Nelson K, Bowes N, Sherrington C, Haynes A. Experiences of older adults, physiotherapists and aged care staff in the TOP UP telephysiotherapy program: Interview study of the TOP UP interventions. Journal of Medical Internet Research Aging. 2024 Feb 7:7:e53010

• Dawson R, Pinheiro M, Nagathan V, Taylor M, Delbaere K, Oliveira J, Haynes A, Rayner J, Hassett L, Sherrington C. Physiotherapy-led telehealth and exercise intervention to improve mobility in older people receiving aged care services (TOP UP): protocol for a randomised controlled type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2023 Nov 14;6(2):e000606.

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Rehabilitation inpatients and outpatients

• Treacy D, Howard K, Hayes A, Hassett L, Schurr K, Sherrington C. Two weeks of additional standing balance circuit classes during inpatient rehabilitation are cost saving and effective: an economic evaluation. Journal of Physiotherapy. 2018 Jan: 64(1): 41-47.

• Treacy D, Schurr K, Lloyd B, Sherrington C. Additional standing balance circuit classes during inpatient rehabilitation improved balance outcomes: an assessor-blinded RCT. Age Ageing. 2015 Jul: 44(4): 580-6.

• Sherrington C, Pamphlett P, Jacka J, Olivetti L, Nugent JA, Hall JM, Dorsch S, Kwan MM-S, Lord SR. Group exercise can improve participants' mobility in outpatient rehabilitation: RCT Clinical Rehabil. 2008: 22: 493-502.

• Olivetti L, Schurr K, Sherrington C, Wallbank G, Pamphlett P, Kwan MM-S, Herbert RD (2007). A novel weight-bearing strengthening program during rehabilitation of older people is feasible and improves standing up more than a nonweight-bearing strengthening program: RCT. Aust J Physiotherapy. 2007: 53: 147-53.

 

After hip fracture

• Sherrington C, Fairhall N, Kirkham C, Clemson L, Tiedemann A, Vogler C, Close JCT, O'Rourke S, Moseley AM, Cameron ID, Mak JCS, Lord SR. Exercise to reduce mobility disability and prevent falls after fall-related leg or pelvic fracture: RESTORE randomized controlled trial. J of General Internal Medicine. 2020 Oct;35(10):2907-2916

• Sherrington C, Lord SR, Herbert RD. A randomized controlled trial of weight-bearing versus non-weight-bearing exercise for improving physical ability after usual care for hip fracture. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004: 85: 710-6.

• Sherrington C, Lord SR, Herbert RD. A randomised trial of weight-bearing versus non-weight-bearing exercise for improving physical ability in inpatients after hip fracture. Aust Journal of Physiotherapy. 2003: 49: 15-22.

• Sherrington C, Lord SR. Home exercise to improve strength and walking velocity after hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 1997: 78: 208-212.

 

As part of a multifactorial intervention for frailty

• Cameron ID, Fairhall N, Langron C, Lockwood K, Monaghan N, Aggar C, Sherrington C, Lord SR, Kurrle SE. A multifactorial interdisciplinary intervention reduces frailty in older people: RCT BMC Medicine 2013: 11: 65.

• Fairhall N, Sherrington C, Kurrle SE, Lord SR, Lockwood K, Cameron ID. Effect of a multifactorial interdisciplinary intervention on mobility-related disability in frail older people: RCT. BMC Med. 2012: 10: 120.

 

 

Increased physical activity with phone coaching from physiotherapists and activity monitors

 

For older adults (CHANGE TRIAL)

• Oliveira JS, Sherrington, C, Rissel C, Howard K, Tong A, Merom, D, Wickham J, Bauman A, Lord SR, Lindley RI, Simpson JM, Allman-Farinelli M, Kirkham C, Ramsay E, O'Rourke S, Tiedemann A. Effect of a coaching intervention to enhance physical activity and prevent falls in community-dwelling people aged 60+: a cluster randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2024 Mar 21;58(7):382-391

 

For people with mobility limitations (COMEBACK TRIAL)

• Hassett L, Tiedemann A, Hinman RS, Crotty M, Hoffmann T, Harvey L, Taylor NF, Greaves CJ, Treacy D, Jennings M, Milat A, Bennell K, Howard K, van den Berg M, Pinheiro M, Wong S, Kirkham C, Ramsay E, O'Rourke S, Sherrington C. Physical activity coaching for adults with mobility limitations: protocol for the ComeBACK pragmatic randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2020 Nov;10(11):e034696

 

 

Exercise without fall prevention advice can increase falls

• Oliveira JS, Sherrington C, Lord SR, Camara GC, Colley S, West CA, Haynes A, Gilchrist H, Kwok WS, Pearce LM, Wallbank G, Trent M, Bauman A, Grunseit AC, Anstey KJ, Tiedemann A. The effect of an Iyengar yoga-based exercise programme versus a seated yoga relaxation programme on falls in people aged 60 years and older (SAGE): a pragmatic, two-arm, parallel RCT. Lancet Healthy Longev. Sep 23 2025:100749.

• Sherrington C, Lord SR, Vogler CM, Close JCT, Howard K, Dean CM, Heller GZ, Clemson L, O'Rourke SD, Ramsay E, Barraclough E, Herbert RD, Cumming RG. A post-hospital home exercise program improved mobility but increased falls in older people: a randomised controlled trial. PLOS ONE. 2014: 9:9.

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Reviews confirm benefits of physical activity for older adults and people with disabilities

• Pinheiro MB, Oliveira JS, Baldwin JN, Hassett J, Costa N, Gilchrist H, Wang B, Kwok W, Albuquerque B, Pivotto LR, Carvalho-Silva APMC, Sharma S, Gilbert S, Bauman A, Bull FC, Willumsen J, Sherrington C, Tiedemann A. Impact of physical activity programs and services for older adults: a rapid review. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2022 Jul 14;19(1):87.

• Hassett LM, McKay M, Cole J, Chapgar S, Geerts M, Kwok W, Jensen C, Sherrington C, Shields N. Effects of sport or physical recreation for adults with physical or intellectual disabilities: a systematic review with meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2024 Mar 8;58(5):269-277

• West K, Hassett L, Oliveira JS, Kwok WSS, Geerts M, Gilchrist H, Gilbert S, Anderson R, Dario AB, Robertson GJ, Baldwin JN, Sherrington C. Effects of sport and physical recreation on health-related outcomes among children and young people with physical disability: systematic review with meta-analysis. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2025 Jun 8;11(2):e002350.

• Cuadra G, Oliveira JS, Pinheiro MB, Tiedemann A, Sherrington C, Pivotto L, Khalatbari-Soltani S, Sharma S, Costa N. Physical activity interventions for adults aged 60+ years in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 2023 Apr 20;20(7):578-585

• Sherrington C, Fairhall NJ, Wallbank GK, Tiedemann A, Michaleff ZA, Howard K, Clemson L, Hopewell S, Lamb SE. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2019 Jan: 1.

• Dyer SM, Kwok WS, Suen J, Dawson R, Kneale D, Sutcliffe K, Seppala LJ, Hill KD, Kerse N, Murray GR, van der Velde N, Sherrington C, Cameron ID. Interventions for preventing falls in older people in care facilities. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025 Aug 20;8(8):CD016064

• Treacy D; Fairhall N; Hassett L; Schurr K; Cameron ID; Sherrington C.  Mobility training for increasing mobility and functioning in older people with frailty. Cochrane Database of systematic reviews. 2022 Jun 30;6(6):

• Fairhall N, Dyer SM, Mak J, Diong J, Kwok W, Sherrington C.  Interventions for improving mobility after hip fracture surgery in adults. Cochrane Library. 2022;Sept 7:9(9):

• Oliveira JS, Sherrington C, Zheng ERY, Franco M, Tiedemann A. Effect of interventions using activity trackers on physical activity in people aged 60 years and over: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020 1 Oct;54:1188-1194

• Oliveira JS, Gilbert S, Pinheiro MB, Tiedemann A, Macedo LB, Maia LB, Kwok WS, Hassett L, Sherrington C. The effect of sport on health in people aged 60 years and older: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023 Feb;57(4):230-236.

• Pinheiro MB, Oliveira JS, Kwok WS, Tiedemann A, Wang B, Taylor J, Howard K, Bauman A, Sherrington C. Cost-effectiveness of physical activity programs and services for older adults: a scoping review. Age Ageing. 2023 Mar 1;52(3):afad023. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afad023.

• Pinheiro MB, Sherrington C, Howard K, Caldwell P, Tiedemann A, Wang B, Oliveira JS, Santos A, Bull F, Willumsen J, Michaleff ZA, Ferguson S, Mayo E, Fairhall N,  Bauman A, Norris S. Economic evaluations of fall prevention exercise programs: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2022 Dec;56(23):1353-1365

 

Guidelines

1. Hassett, L., Johnson, L., Williams, G., Ashpole, R., Bauman, A., Carty, C., Chagpar, S., Clanchy, K., Haynes, A., Heine, K., Munn, Z., Okely, A., Rushworth, N., Scheinberg, A., Sherrington, C., Simpson, G., Tiedemann, A., Tweedy, S., Vassallo, G., Wang, B., West, K., Wolfenden, L. and the BRIDGES Guideline Development Group members (2025), A Physical Activity Clinical Practice Guideline for People With Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. Clinical and Public Health Guidelines, 2: e70035.

2. Tiedemann A, Sturnieks DL, Burton E, Thom JM, Lord SR, Scott S, Sherrington C. Exercise and Sports Science Australia updated position statement on exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. J Sci Med Sport. 2025 Feb;28(2):87-94

3. Montero-Odasso M,  van der Velde N, Martin FC, Petrovic M, Tan MP, Ryg J, Aguilar-Navarro S, Alexander NB, Becker C, Blain H, Bourke R, Cameron ID, Camicioli R, Clemson L, Close J, Delbaere K, Duan L, Duque G, Dyer S, Freiberger E, Ganz D, G√≥mez F, Hausdorff JM,. Hogan DB, Hunter SMW, Jauregui JR, Nellie Kamkar N, Kenny R-A. Lamb SE , Latham NK, Lipsitz LL, Liu-Ambrose T, Logan P, Lord SR, Mallet L, Marsh D, Milisen K, Moctezuma-Gallegos R, Meg E. Morris ME, Nieuwboer A, Perracini MR, Pieruccini-Faria F, Pighills A, Said C, Sejdic E, Sherrington C, Skelton DA, d'Souza S, Speechley M, Stark S, Todd C, Troen BR, van der Cammen T, Verghese J, Vlaeyen E, Watt JA, Masud T, on behalf of the Global Falls Guidelines Task Force. World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management for Older Adults: A Global Initiative. Age Ageing 2022 2;51(9):

4. Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, Borodulin K, Buman MP, Cardon G, Carty C, Chaput JP, Chastin S, Chou R, Dempsey PC, DiPietro L, Ekelund U, Firth J, Friedenreich CM, Garcia L, Gichu M, Jago R, Katzmarzyk PT, Lambert E, Leitzmann M, Milton K, Ortega FB, Ranasinghe C, Stamatakis E, Tiedemann A, Troiano RP, van der Ploeg HP, Wari V, Willumsen JF. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54:1451-62.

 

 

Protocols for current trials

• Baldwin JN, Purcell K, Hassett L, Tiedemann A, Pinheiro M, Savage R, Wang B, Haynes A, West K, Noetel M, Richards B, Jennings M, Gupta S, Smith BJ, Treacy D, Halliday M, Harvey LA<, Phongsvaan P, Rogers K, Howard K, Bauman A, Hamdorf P, Shaw A, Walkley J, Dwyer G, Lonsdale C, Reece L, Clutterbuck G, Lovitt L, Sturneiks D, Sherrington C. Promotion of Physical Activity by Health Professionals (PROMOTE-PA): protocol for effectiveness outcomes in a hybrid type I effectiveness-implementation cluster randomised controlled trial BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2024 Aug 6;e000901

• Hassett L, Jennings M, Brady B, Pinheiro MB, Haynes A, Sidhu B, Christie L, Dennis S, Pearce A, Howard K, Greaves C, Sherrington C. Brief Physical Activity Counselling by Physiotherapists (BEHAVIOUR): protocol for an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type II cluster randomised controlled trial. Implementation Science Communications. 2022 Apr 8;3(1):39

 

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Co-design of trial interventions

• Haynes A, Wallbank G, Gilchrist H, Sherrington C, West CA, Oliveira JS, O'Rourke S, Tiedemann A. What do older women want from a physical activity program? Stakeholder consultation to optimise design and recruitment for the Active Women over 50 trial. BMC Public Health. 2024 Oct 22;24(1):2920

 

 

Process evaluation in trials

• Wang B, Hassett L, Sherrington C, Haynes A, Cartwright J, Purcell K, Savage R, Tiedemann A, Chagpar S, Cheung D, Diong J, Rogers K, Clutterbuck G, Smith BJ, Pinheiro M. Processes of supported promotion of physical activity by health professionals: protocol for mixed-methods evaluation within the PROMOTE-PA hybrid effectiveness-implementation cluster RCT. BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2025;8:e001193.

• Wong S, Hassett L, Koorts H, Grunsiet A, Tong A, Tiedemann A, Greaves C, Haynes A, Milat A, Harvey L, Taylor NF, Hinman RS, Pinheiro M, Jennings M, Treacy D, O'Rourke S, West C, Ramsay E, Kirkham C, Morris C, Sherrington C. Planning implementation and scale-up of physical activity interventions for people with walking difficulties: process evaluation protocol for the ComeBACK trial. Trials. 2022 Jan 15;23(1):40.

• Haynes A, Gilchrist H, Oliveira JS, Grunseit A, Sherrington C, Lord S, Tiedemann A: What helps older people persevere with yoga classes? A realist process evaluation of a COVID-19-affected yoga program for fall prevention. BMC Public Health. 2022 Mar 8;22(1):463.

• Haynes A, Gilchrist H, Oliveira JS, Sherrington C, Tiedemann A. "I wouldn't have joined if it wasn't online": understanding older people's engagement with teleyoga classes for fall prevention. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 2022 Nov 2; 22(1):283.

• Haynes A, Kirkham C, Ramsay E, Manning S, Sherrington C, Wallbank G, Hassett L, Tiedemann A. "Sharing Success with Someone": Building Therapeutic Alliance in Physiotherapist-Delivered Coaching to Promote Physical Activity for Healthy Aging. Physiother Theory Pract. 2022;38(13):2771-2787

• Haynes A, Sherrington C, Wallbank G, Tong A, Merom D, Rissel C, Lester D, Tiedemann A. "Someone's got my back": Older people's experience of the Coaching for Healthy Ageing program for promoting physical activity and preventing falls. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. 2020 Sep 9;29(2):296-307

 

 

Qualitative studies to inform intervention design

• Haynes A, Johnson L, Ashpole R, Mamo A, Chagpar S, Williams G, Clanchy K, Waters N, Vassallo G, Scheinberg A, Sherrington C, Tweedy S, West K, Hassett L. The long road back to physical activity: the experience of people with moderate- to-severe traumatic brain injury. Disabil Rehabil. 2025 Feb 3:1-12.

• Pearce LMN, Hassett L, Sherrington C, Pryor J. Human interactions remain at the heart of rehabilitation with advanced technology: a practice-embedded longitudinal qualitative study with allied health clinicians. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2025 Mar 7;22(1):52. doi: 10.1186/s12984-025-01576-1.

• West, K.; Purcell, K.; Haynes, A.; Taylor, J.; Hassett, L.; Sherrington, C. "People Associate Us with Movement so It's an Awesome Opportunity": Perspectives from Physiotherapists on Promoting Physical Activity, Exercise and Sport. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2021 Mar 14;18(6):2963.

• McLennan C, Sherrington C, Tilden W, Jennings M, Richards B, Hill AM, Fairbrother G, Ling F, Naganathan V, Haynes A. Considerations across multiple stakeholder groups when implementing fall prevention programs in the acute hospital setting: a qualitative study. Age and Ageing. 2024;53.

 

 

Behaviour change in trials

• Gilchrist H, Oliveira JS, Kwok WS, Sherrington C, Pinheiro MB, Bauman A, Tiedemann A, Hassett L. Use of behavior change techniques in physical activity programs and services for older adults: findings from a rapid review. Annals of Behavioural Medicine. 2024 Feb 10;58(3):216-226.

 

 

Implementation trials

• Hassett L, Wolfenden L. Research Note: Designing implementation trials in physiotherapy. J Physiother. 2022;68:210-2.

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Economic evaluation in trials

• Pinheiro MB, Hassett L, Sherrington C, van den Berg M, Hayes A, Lindley RI, Crotty M, Chagpar S, Treacy D, Weber H, Fairhall N, Wong S, McCluskey A, Togher L, Scrivener K, Howard K. Economic evaluation of digitally enabled aged and neurological rehabilitation care in the Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) trial. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2023 May;37(5):651-666.

• Wang B, Sherrington C, Baldwin JN, Hassett L, Purcell K, Savage R, Tiedemann A, Chagpar S, Cheung D, Noetel M, Clutterbuck G, Howard K, Pinheiro M. Cost- effectiveness of support for health professionals to implement physical activity promotion: a protocol for within-trial and modelled economic evaluations of the PROMOTE-PA effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial. BMJ Open. 2025 Apr 5;15(4):e098452.