Dr Melanie Fuller

Dr Melanie Fuller
NameDr Melanie Fuller
Email Addressmelanie.fuller@unisq.edu.au
Job TitleLecturer (Physiotherapy)
QualificationsBExSc Griffith, GCertMusclskltPhsthpy La Trobe, MPhty Griffith, MMusclskltPhsthpy La Trobe, MMusclskltPhsthpy La Trobe, MSportPhsthpy La Trobe, PhD QUT
DepartmentSchool of Health and Medical Sciences
ORCIDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2829-1615
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Biography

I am a Lecturer (Teaching and Research) in Physiotherapy at the University of Southern Queensland. I have 17+ years experience working clinically with dancers from professional to recreational levels, across all styles of dance. I work clinically at Queensland Sports Medicine Centre, and as a Touring Physiotherapist with The Australian Ballet. I have a PhD in Injury Prevention in Dance, and present nationally and internationally. I am an Editorial Board member for the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, the current Queensland Chair of Sports & Exercise Physiotherapy Australia, and Past President of the Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare. I have worked on the musicals - Matilda, Legally Blonde and Mary Poppins to name some. I am an APA (Australian Physiotherapy Association) Titled Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist, as well as a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, with postgraduate Masters qualifications in both Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy from La Trobe University. Before training in Exercise Science and Physiotherapy, I taught dance for years, and completed my Royal Academy of Dance Advanced Certificate (now Advanced II), and an Advanced Diploma in Performing Arts (Dance) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Employment

PositionOrganisationFromTo
Lecturer (Physiotherapy)University of Southern Queensland2023
Casual Touring PhysiotherapistThe Australian Ballet2013
APA Titled Sports & Exercise and Musculoskeletal PhysiotherapistQueensland Sports Medicine Centre2021
Clinical Educator - PhysiotherapyJames Cook University20192021
APA Titled Sports and Exercise, + Musculoskeletal PhysiotherapistPondera Physiotherapy & Pilates20072019
PresidentAustralian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare20212024

Expertise

Sports Physiotherapy, Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, Dance Physiotherapy, Dance, Injury Prevention, Training Load

Teaching

Course Coordinator for -

PTH2101 - Fundamentals of Exercise and Physiotherapy

PTH2102 - Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy I: Lower Quadrant

Fields of Research

  • 420106. Physiotherapy
  • 420799. Sports science and exercise not elsewhere classified
  • 429999. Other health sciences not elsewhere classified

Professional Membership

Professional MembershipYear
Australian Physiotherapy Association - both Sports and Exercise, + Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy interest groups
Sports Medicine Australia
International Association of Dance Medicine and Science
Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare
BExSc
Griffith
2005
GCertMusclskltPhsthpy
La Trobe
2012
MPhty
Griffith
2007
MMusclskltPhsthpy
La Trobe
2015
MMusclskltPhsthpy
La Trobe
2016
MSportPhsthpy
La Trobe
2016
PhD
QUT
2021

Artistic and Health Professionals' Perceptions of Training Load Practices in Pre-Professional and Professional Ballet and Contemporary Dance: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Fuller, Melanie, Moyle, Gene M., Harrison, Carly and Minett, Geoffrey M.. 2022. "Artistic and Health Professionals' Perceptions of Training Load Practices in Pre-Professional and Professional Ballet and Contemporary Dance: A Cross-Sectional Survey." Journal of Dance Medicine and Science. 26 (4), pp. 232-243. https://doi.org/10.12678/1089-313X.121522d

Weekly injury rates within semesters of a three-year tertiary dance program, and prospective training monitoring across one semester of training: a longitudinal study

Fuller, Melanie, Moyle, Gene and Minett, Geoffrey. 2024. "Weekly injury rates within semesters of a three-year tertiary dance program, and prospective training monitoring across one semester of training: a longitudinal study ." Research in Dance Education. 25 (2), pp. 158-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/14647893.2022.2083594

Setting young dancers up for success

Fuller, Melanie. 2022. "Setting young dancers up for success." Sports and Exercise Physio. (2), pp. 11-12.

Getting creative with care of performance artists

Fuller, Melanie (ed.) 2022. Getting creative with care of performance artists. Australia. Australian Physiotherapy Association.

Injury prevention in dance

Mayes, S., Jeffries, A., Fuller, M. and Harrison, C.. 2021. "Injury prevention in dance." 2021 Sports Medicine Australia Conference . Melbourne, Australia 08 - 09 Oct 2021 Australia.

Injuries across a pre-professional ballet and contemporary dance tertiary training program: A retrospective cohort study

Fuller, M., Moyle, G.M. and Minett, G.M.. 2020. "Injuries across a pre-professional ballet and contemporary dance tertiary training program: A retrospective cohort study." Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 23 (12), pp. 1166-1171. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2020.06.012

Injuries during transition periods across the year in pre-professional and professional ballet and contemporary dancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Fuller, M., Moyle, G.M., Hunt, A.P. and Minett, G.M.. 2020. "Injuries during transition periods across the year in pre-professional and professional ballet and contemporary dancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis." Physical Therapy in Sport. 44, pp. 14-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2020.03.010

Ballet and Contemporary Dance Injuries When Transitioning to Full-Time Training or Professional Level Dance: A Systematic Review

Fuller, Melanie, Moyle, Gene M., Hunt, Andrew P. and Minett, Geoffrey M.. 2019. "Ballet and Contemporary Dance Injuries When Transitioning to Full-Time Training or Professional Level Dance: A Systematic Review ." Journal of Dance Medicine and Science. 23 (3), pp. 112-125. https://doi.org/10.12678/1089-313X.23.3.112

Imaging Findings Associated With Osteoarthritis Are Common in Dancers, and Are Rarely Symptomatic: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Fuller, Melanie, Hanel, Joshua, Mayes, Susan, Bruce, Tracy and Rio, Ebonie. 2025. "Imaging Findings Associated With Osteoarthritis Are Common in Dancers, and Are Rarely Symptomatic: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis." Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. 55 (4), pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2025.12918

Prevalence of imaging findings associated with osteoarthritis in dancers: A systematic review

Fuller, Melanie, Mayes, Susan, Hanel, Joshua, Bruce, Tracy and Rio, Ebonie. 2024. "Prevalence of imaging findings associated with osteoarthritis in dancers: A systematic review." 34th Annual Conference: 2024 International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). Rimini, Italy 17 - 20 Oct 2024 Italy.

Artistic and health professionals’ perceptions of training load practices in pre-professional and professional ballet and/or contemporary dance

Fuller, M., Moyle, G., Harrison, C. and Minett, G.. 2021. "Artistic and health professionals’ perceptions of training load practices in pre-professional and professional ballet and/or contemporary dance." 2021 Sports Medicine Australia Conference . Melbourne, Australia 08 - 09 Oct 2021 Australia. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2021.09.165

Injuries, load, mood, stress, and compliance with monitoring within semesters of a tertiary dance program: A longitudinal cohort study

Fuller, Melanie, Moyle, Gene and Minett, Geoffrey. 2020. "Injuries, load, mood, stress, and compliance with monitoring within semesters of a tertiary dance program: A longitudinal cohort study." 30th Annual Conference: 2020 International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). Virtual

Subsequent injury analysis in an Australian tertiary dance training program: A 3-year retrospective cohort study

Fuller, M., Moyle, G. and Minett, G.. 2019. "Subsequent injury analysis in an Australian tertiary dance training program: A 3-year retrospective cohort study." 2019 ASICS SMA Conference (ASICS SMA 2019). Twin Waters, Australia 23 - 26 Oct 2019 Australia. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2019.08.272

Are dancers more susceptible to injury when transitioning to full-time training or professional companies? A systematic review

Fuller, Melanie, Moyle, Gene and Minett, Geoffrey. 2017. "Are dancers more susceptible to injury when transitioning to full-time training or professional companies? A systematic review ." 27th Annual Conference: 2017 International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). Houston, Texas, United States 12 - 15 Oct 2017 United States.

When do injuries occur in dance? A systematic review and discussion of training load

Fuller, Melanie, Moyle, Gene and Minett, Geoffrey. 2016. "When do injuries occur in dance? A systematic review and discussion of training load." 26th Annual Conference: 2016 International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). Wanchai, Hong Kong 20 - 23 Oct 2016 Hong Kong.

Screening practices in dance—applying the research

Fuller, Melanie and Peirce, David. 2008. "Screening practices in dance—applying the research." World Dance Alliance Global Summit 2008. Brisbane, Australia 13 - 18 Jul 2008 Australia.