Primary Care & Health Sciences

Following an undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy, I obtained an MSc in manual therapy in 1998 and a PhD in 2002. I came to Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre in March 2005 to hold a joint clinical (spinal specialist) and research post. I spend two days a week in clinical practice where I lead the Back Pain Service at the Haywood Hospital (Stoke PCT, Stoke-on-Trent) and three days a week in research.

My research interests are predominantly in low back pain and sciatica but also in other musculoskeletal problems. I contribute in research programmes and projects and lead projects as a principal investigator and PhD supervisor. I develop and deliver training packages for the physiotherapists that participate in the clinical trials and studies of the Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre. In 2010 I was awarded a three year NIHR CNO Clinical Lectureship for epidemiological research into sciatica.

Selected Publications

Konstantinou K, Beardmore R, Dunn KM, Lewis M, Hider SL, Sanders T, Jowett S, Somerville S, Stynes S, van der Windt DA, Vogel S, Hay EM. 2012. Clinical course, characteristics and prognostic indicators in patients presenting with back and leg pain in primary care. The ATLAS study protocol. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 13, 4. doi>

Konstantinou K, Hider SL, Vogel S, Beardmore R, Somerville S. 2011. Development of an assessment schedule for patients with low back-associated leg pain in primary care: a Delphi consensus study. Eur Spine J. doi>

Ashworth J, Konstantinou K, Dunn KM. 2011. Prognostic factors in non-surgically treated sciatica: a systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 12, 208. doi>

Hill JC, Whitehurst DG, Lewis M, Bryan S, Dunn KM, Foster NE, Konstantinou K, Main CJ, Mason E, Somerville S, Sowden G, Vohora K, Hay EM. 2011. Comparison of stratified primary care management for low back pain with current best practice (STarT Back): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet, vol. 378(9802), 1560-1571. doi>

 

Full Publication List

Journal Articles

Konstantinou K, Hider SL, Jordan J, Lewis M, Dunn KM, Hay E. 2013. The impact of low back related leg pain on outcomes as compared to low back pain alone. A systematic review of the literature. Clin J Pain. 2013 Jan 16. [Epub ahead of print]

Konstantinou K, Lewis M, Dunn KM. 2012. Agreement of self-report items and clinically assessed nerve root involvement (or sciatica) in a primary care setting. Eur Spine JNov;21(11):2306-15. doi: 10.1007/s00586-012-2398-5.

Konstantinou K, Beardmore R, Dunn KM, Lewis M, Hider SL, Sanders T, Jowett S, Somerville S, Stynes S, van der Windt DA, Vogel S, Hay EM. 2012. Clinical course, characteristics and prognostic indicators in patients presenting with back and leg pain in primary care. The ATLAS study protocol. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 13, 4. doi>

Sowden G, Hill JC, Konstantinou K, Khanna M, Main CJ, Salmon P, Somerville S, Wathall S, Foster NE, IMPaCT Back study team. 2012. Targeted treatment in primary care for low back pain: the treatment system and clinical training programmes used in the IMPaCT Back study (ISRCTN 55174281). Fam Pract, vol. 29(1), 50-62. doi>

Konstantinou K, Hider SL, Vogel S, Beardmore R, Somerville S. 2011. Development of an assessment schedule for patients with low back-associated leg pain in primary care: a Delphi consensus study. Eur Spine J. doi>

Ashworth J, Konstantinou K, Dunn KM. 2011. Prognostic factors in non-surgically treated sciatica: a systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 12, 208. doi>

Hill JC, Konstantinou K, Egbewale BE, Dunn KM, Lewis M, van der Windt D. 2011. Clinical Outcomes Among Low Back Pain Consulters With Referred Leg Pain in Primary Care. Spine, vol. 36(25), 2168-2175. link> doi>

Hill JC, Whitehurst DG, Lewis M, Bryan S, Dunn KM, Foster NE, Konstantinou K, Main CJ, Mason E, Somerville S, Sowden G, Vohora K, Hay EM. 2011. Comparison of stratified primary care management for low back pain with current best practice (STarT Back): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet, vol. 378(9802), 1560-1571. doi>

Ong BN, Konstantinou K, Corbett M, Hay E. 2011. Patients' own accounts of sciatica: a qualitative study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), vol. 36(15), 1251-1256. doi>

Jordan JL, Konstantinou K, O'Dowd, J. 2011. Herniated lumbar disc. Clin Evid (Online).

Konstantinou K and Dunn KM. 2008. Sciatica: review of epidemiological studies and prevalence estimates. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), vol. 33(22), 2464-2472. doi>

Hay EM, Dunn KM, Hill JC, Lewis M, Mason EE, Konstantinou K, Sowden G, Somerville S, Vohora K, Whitehurst D, Main CJ. 2008. A randomised clinical trial of subgrouping and targeted treatment for low back pain compared with best current care. The STarT Back Trial Study Protocol. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 9, 58. doi> full text>

Konstantinou K, Foster N, Rushton A, Baxter D, Wright C, Breen A. 2007. Flexion mobilizations with movement techniques: the immediate effects on range of movement and pain in subjects with low back pain. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, vol. 30(3), 178-185. doi>

Konstantinou K, Foster NE, Rushton A, Baxter GD 2002 The use and reported effects of mobilisation with movements techniques in low back pain management; a cross-sectional descriptive survey of physiotherapists in Britain. Manual Therapy 2002, 7,4,206-214

 

Chapters

Hall T and Konstantinou K 2011 A chronic case of fear avoidant low back pain. Chapter 15. In: Mobilisation with movement. The art and science. Editors: B Vicenzino, W Hing, D Rivett, T Hall. Churchill Livingstone, Australia

 

Other

Konstantinou K, Hider SL, Vogel S, Somerville S, Beardmore R 2011 (poster with oral) Development of a clinical assessment schedule for primary care patients with low back and leg pain. A multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study. Forum XI for Primary Care Research on Low Back Pain, Melbourne, Australia

Konstantinou K, Beardmore R, Dunn KM, Lewis M, Hider SL, Sanders T, Jowett S, Somerville S, van der Windt D, Hay EM 2011 (poster with oral) Clinical course, characteristics and prognostic indicators in patients presenting with back and leg pain in primary care: the ATLAS study protocol. Forum XI for Primary Care Research on Low Back Pain, Melbourne, Australia

Doyle C, Konstantinou K, Sowden G, Somerville S, Main C 2011(poster with oral) The training and mentoring programme for physiotherapists in the management of low back pain. Approach used in the Keele ‘STarT Back’ and IMPaCT  Back Studies. Forum XI for Primary Care Research on Low Back Pain, Melbourne, Australia

Konstantinou K, Hider SL, Jordan J, Lewis M, Dunn KM, Hay E 2010 (oral presentation) Comparison between the impact of low back pain with leg pain and low back pain alone on health: A systematic review of the literature and synthesis of available evidence. The Society for Back Pain Research, June, Odense, Denmark.

Ong BN, Konstantinou K, Corbett M, Hay EM 2010 (poster presentation) “I had this problem with my legs and they seemed to have filled my life”: Accounts of living with sciatica. The Society for Back Pain Research, June, Odense, Denmark.

Hill JC, Konstantinou K, Egbewale BE, Dunn KM, Lewis M, van der Windt D 2010 (oral presentation) Clinical outcomes among low back pain consulters with referred leg pain in primary care. BSR, Birmingham, UK

Ashworth J, Konstantinou K, Dunn KM 2009 (poster presentation) Predictors of poor outcome in sciatica: A systematic review of the literature. The Society for Back Pain Research, Chepstow Wales, UK

Konstantinou K,Dunn KM, Lewis M, Hill JC  2009 Agreement of self-report items and clinically assessed nerve root involvement (or sciatica) in a primary care setting. Boston International Forum X for Primary Care Research on Low Back Pain, Boston, USA.

Mason EE, Hill JC, Konstantinou K, Sowden G, Vohora K, Main CJ, Dunn K, Lewis M, Hay EM. 2008. Practical application of the start back screening tool: A pilot study in primary care. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 47, p. II156). link>

Konstantinou K, Dunn KM 2007 Sciatica: Review of epidemiological studies on prevalence. International Forum IX for Primary Care Research on Low Back Pain, Mallorca, Spain.

Hill JC, Konstantinou K, Mason E et al 2006 Using the STarT Back Tool in primary care: Pilot study to assess feasibility. Proceedings of The Society for Back Pain Research

Foster NE, Konstantinou K, Lewis M, Cairns M 2006 Re: Goldby LJ, Moore AP, Doust J, Trew ME. A randomised controlled trial investigating the efficiency of musculoskeletal physiotherapy on chronic low back disorder. Spine 31:1083-93.

Konstantinou K 2004 The use of MWMs in the management of low back pain. Invited research presentation, MACP programme abstracts. Proceedings of The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (October, p 106)

Konstantinou K, Foster NE, Rushton A, Baxter GD Wright CC, Breen A. 2003. The immediate effects of flexion mobilisations with movement manual techniques on range of movement and pain in low back pain patients. Physiotherapy Congress Proceedings of The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (October, p 9)

Konstantinou K, Foster NE, Rushton A, Baxter GD, Breen A. 2000. A descriptive survey of the use and effects of mobilisation with movements (MWMs) techniques in low back pain management. Physiotherapy (vol. 87, p. 91).

I have a small contribution to teaching on postgraduate courses for physiotherapists and rheumatology nurses; MSc Neuromusculoskeletal Health Care and MSc for Rheumatology Nurses.

Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Manipulation Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and registered with the Health Professions Council. Member of the University’s ethics committee and of Arthritis Research UK Fellowships implementation committee.