Research, Partnerships and Collaborations

Through a commitment to building the evidence base to underpin Immersion Therapy there has been a collaboration between the University of South Australia, Determined2 (founders of Immersion Therapy) and a number of key medical professionals over the past 7 years. This has led to the below papers both ongoing and published that is contributing to the strong foundation of evidence to support Immersion Therapy both physiologically and psychologically.

Academic Research Team Members:
Associate Professor Kade Davison, Professor Gaynor Parfitt, Dr. Jocelyn Kernot, Dr. Dannielle Post, Associate Professor Caroline Ellison, Dr. Mark Catley

Clinical Research Team Members
Dr Adrian Winsor MBBS, FAFRM (RACP), FFPM (ANZCA), DMM (Otago), DHM, Rehabilitation, Pain, Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Physician. Head of Hyperbaric Medicine Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Professor Ruth Marshall OAM MBBS, DPRM, FAFRM (RACP) Spinal Cord Injury Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician, Medical Director, SA Spinal Cord Injury Service.

Dr Maria Paul FRCP (U.K), FAFRM, AFRACMA, A/Head of SA Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service (SABIRS) Associate Professor Anthony Pohl former Director, Orthopaedic Trauma, at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, University of Adelaide.

Immersion Therapy Medical Standards Team Members
Dr Adrian Winsor MBBS, FAFRM(RACP), FFPM(ANZCA), DMM (Otago), DHM, Rehabilitation, Pain, Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Physician. Head of Hyperbaric Medicine Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital. Dr Dr Eben Viljoen MbChB BScMedScHons FRACGP Dip Family Medicine
Dr David Wilkinson OAM FANZCA
Dr Suzy Szekely FANZCA
Dr Ariaan Venter FRACP

Below is a list of articles, published and ongoing research papers.

• Exploring the Physical and Psychosocial Experience of Immersion Therapy™ K. Naumann – Masters by Research Thesis 2017 – 2020 https://www.lifetimesupport.sa.gov.au/grants/research/completed-grants
• “It’s an equalizer” – A Two-Stage Evaluation of an Immersion Therapy™ Service for Clients with Acute or Chronic Disability, Injury or Illness. K. Davison et al. – Under Review 
• How can the Integration of Exercise Physiology with Immersion Therapy™ be Facilitated to Maximise the Outcomes for People Living with a Disability? A. Cameron – Industry Honours Project 2020 – 2021
• Effect of Immersion Therapy (delivered by an AEP) on Physical and Psychosocial Recovery Following Traumatic Injury when Transitioning from Hospital Inpatient to Outpatient Care Clinical Trial in partnership with UniSA, SA Health and LSA – Commencing 2023 https://www.lifetimesupport.sa.gov.au/grants/research/active-grants
• Article published in the Australian Medical Association Autum edition SA Medic
• University of South Australia, School of Allied Health and Human Performance have recently been successful in having a full Stipend Ph.D. approved https://unisa.edu.au/research/degrees/immersion-therapy-managing-chronic-pain
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the Visual Analogue Scale and the Brief Pain Inventory in monitoring pain status for Immersion Therapy participants living with chronic pain.
  

Current Honors projects

• Informing Immersion Therapy Best Practice for three Neurological Conditions and Developing a Tool to Guide Prescription
• Effect of Immersion Therapy on Range of Motion in Clients with Range of Motion Restrictions: A Case Series Study
• Development of a Digital Resource to Inform Immersion Therapy™ Intervention for Back Pain, Osteoarthritis and/or Shoulder Pain
• Understanding the barriers and enablers for individuals living with an injury or disability participating in Immersion Therapy

We are committed to collaboration and are actively seeking ongoing opportunities to continue to expand the evidence base.