ProfHelen French

Prof Helen French is an Associate Professor in the RCSI School of Physiotherapy. Following completion of a B.Physio from UCD, she worked as a Senior Physiotherapist in Orthopaedics in the Meath Hospital, Dublin and subsequently in Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin. She obtained a MSc. (Physiotherapy) in 1999 in TCD School of Physiotherapy, Dublin. She worked as a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist (Musculoskeletal) in Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin before her move to RCSI School of Physiotherapy.

Prof French completed her PhD in 2011, funded by a Health Research Board (HRB) Fellowship for the Therapy Professions. She was awarded a HRB-Fulbright Scholarship (2017-2018) which she undertook in Boston University. 

Her research areas of interest are advanced practice, rehabilitation interventions for osteoarthritis and tendinopathy and delivery of best-practice evidence-based care for people with musculoskeletal conditions. She is currently leading a mixed-methods study to evaluate advanced practice roles for health and social care professionals in Ireland, by evaluating the impact of interface musculoskeletal triage embedded in integrated pathways on access to care, clinical and cost outcomes, and potential for future implementation (MSK-ACCESS). This project is joint funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) and Department of Health.

Completed research includes a feasibility trial evaluating education and exercise for gluteal tendinopathy https://www.leapireland.eu/ and a mixed-methods study to develop a model of care for osteoarthritis in primary care in Ireland https://enact-ireland.eu/, both funded by the HRB. She was also co-principal investigator on the Training load and injury risk in Schoolboys’ Rugby: the SCRUm cohort study Phase 2, funded by the Irish Rugby Football Union Charitable Trust (IRFUCT).

Within RCSI,  Helen is Athena Swan champion for the School of Physiotherapy and interim chair of the Public Patient Involvement (PPI) in Education committee. 

She is currently a member of the Osteoarthritis Society International (OARSI) Joint Effort Initiative, and Chair of the OARSI Research and Training committee. She is also a member of the EU COST Action European Network on Osteoarthritis (NetwOArk) working groups 1 (Patient engagement) and working group 4 (Building the European Society for Osteoarthritis)- https://netwoark.eu/, and a member of the scientific committee for the International Federation of Manual and Musculoskeletal Physical Therapists (IFOMPT) 2028 conference in Vancuver Canada https://ifompt2028.com/. 

In her professional role, Helen has held previous positions of Honorary Secretary of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP), Chairperson of the ISCP Education and Professional Development standing committee, Chairperson of the Chartered Physiotherapists in Musculoskeletal Therapy (CPMT) clinical interest group, member of the ISCP International Affairs committee and members of the Education Working Group of the European Region of the World Congress of Physical Therapy (WCPT).