Keywords
Fields of Research (FoR)
Exercise physiology, Allied health and rehabilitation science, Sports science and exerciseBiography
Dr Mitchell Gibbs is a lecturer and researcher in the School of Health Sciences at the University of New South Wales. Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science, a Master of Research, and a PhD from Western Sydney University. Mitchell’s research focuses on back pain, mainly, the use of active interventions (exercise and education) under a biopsychosocial framework. Mitchell teaches/convenes musculoskeletal rehabilitation and strength and...view more
Dr Mitchell Gibbs is a lecturer and researcher in the School of Health Sciences at the University of New South Wales. Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science, a Master of Research, and a PhD from Western Sydney University. Mitchell’s research focuses on back pain, mainly, the use of active interventions (exercise and education) under a biopsychosocial framework. Mitchell teaches/convenes musculoskeletal rehabilitation and strength and conditioning for Exercise Science/Physiology students at UNSW. Mitchell is an Accredited Exercise Scientist and Strength Coach with 10-years in the industry. Mitchell continues to consult on complex pain cases and in some pro-sport settings.
My Grants
Associate Investigator:
2023-2026: CAPACITY: A telehealth, effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial to increase physical activity in adults with chronic low back pain (MRFF2023932, $1,384,136) - Led by Dr Matthew Jones
My Qualifications
PhD - 2021 Western Sydney University
MRes - 2017 Western Sydney University
BHlthSc(Sp&ExSc) - 2015 Western Sydney University
My Research Activities
My research program seeks to understand how exercise can be best integrated into the management of chronic pain under a biopsychosocial framework. My work focuses on investigating the efficacy of exercise and education interventions for people with chronic pain, including those with comorbid presentations. Additionally, I am interested in practitioner-focussed research to understand the barriers of these approaches to being utilised in clinical practice.
As an Accredited Exercise Scientists and Strength and Conditioning coach, with 10-yrs of clinical/practical experience, I also collaborate on several resistance training research projects. Overarchingly, I see my research as trying to combine understanding of clinical and strength and conditioning settings.
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
My main area of research supervision is investigating the role of exercise within biospychosical-informed approaches to chronic pain. Additionally, I provide co-supervision on projects relating to resistance training/autoregulation.
Currently supervising
PhD candidate:
Adrian Ram: What are Exercise Physiologists saying? Developing targeted pain neuroscience education to improve exercise outcomes for knee osteoarthritis
Master of Research candidate
Grant Holmes: Can females accurately predict proximity to failure during resistance training using repetitions in reserve?
Honours students:
Andrew Natoli: How do people perceive exercise when experiencing low back pain?
Emily Walker: How do Australian exercise-based practitioners approach the management of chronic low back pain?
Theo Last: Do the attitudes and beliefs of exercise-based practitioners impact confidence of treatment modalities for chronic low back pain?
George Azer: Attitudes of people with chronic low back pain towards physical activity and exercise: a qualitative study
My Engagement
2023 'Exercise as part of a Biopsychosocial approach to pain' - Be Strong Physio Podcast
2023 'How often should I change my Exercise Program' - The Conversation - coauthored with Dr Mandy Hagstrom
2023 Biopsychosocial Exercise for Chronic Low Back Pain - ESSA Webinar
2022 Rethinking Exercise for Low Back Pain - UNSW Newsroom
2022 ABC radio interview - Powerlifting for low back pain?
2021 Biomedical Beliefs and Clinical Decision Making - Understanding Sports and Exercise Medicine Research Show
2019 Learning from pain - TEDx
My Teaching
Dr Mitchell Gibbs convenes HESC3501 Advanced Exercise Science and EXPT3152 Musculoskeletal Movement Rehabilitation. Mitch is also leading development for EXPT2169 Strength and Conditioning.
Mitch's vast practical experience as both a practitioner working with people facing MSK pain conditions and as a strength and conditioning coach greatly inform his teaching approach. Mitch firmly believes in the importance of translating research to practice and has this as a cornerstone of his teaching approach, with learning opportunities designed around practical competency and critical thinking. Mitch is an advocate of exploring learning opportunities relevant to new-grads, such as the use of social media (SoMe) for dissemination of information. Mitch has pioneered SoMe-informed assessment modes, presenting these at faculty level.
Learn more about Dr Mitch's teaching here: https://myeducationportfolio.unsw.edu.au/profile/798
Publications
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8053-308X