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Elisabeth Westerdahl

Position: Affiliated Researcher School/office: School of Medical Sciences

Email: ZWxpc2FiZXRoLndlc3RlcmRhaGw7b3J1LnNl

Phone: No number available

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Research subject

About Elisabeth Westerdahl

Background

Elisabeth Westerdahl is a Physiotherapist and Associate professor in Medical Science at Örebro University. She obtained a PhD in Medical Science, Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University in 2004. Elisabeth Westerdahl has been certified as specialist competence in physiotherapy in lung medicine issued by the Swedish Association of Physiotherapists 1997.

Research

The research field is lung function and the effects of physiotherapy after surgery. Elisabeth's research mainly focuses on breathing exercises, mobilization and physical activity in connection with thoracic surgery. She also studies respiratory therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and her interests include physiological effects of various forms of respiratory exercises. The aim of the research is to evaluate physiotherapeutic methods mainly in conjunction with cardiac surgery and lung cancer surgery to optimize postoperative recovery. Elisabeth has shown in a number of studies (see publications) the effects of physiotherapeutic interventions for different patient groups with impaired respiratory function.

National and international collaboration

Elisabeth collaborates with researchers at Örebro University, Uppsala University, Gothenburg University, Karolinska Institutet, Linköping University and Karlstad University. Internationally, she conducts research in collaboration with researchers at Aalborg University Hospital, Hvidovre hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Elisabeth has been the project leader for an international and interprofessional research program on physiotherapy treatment in connection with lung cancer surgery funded by the Swedish Cancer Society 2015-2019. She has worked with national guidelines for respiratory care in physiotherapy for patients undergoing abdominal and thoracic surgery and improvement of living habits in connection with cardiac surgery on behalf of the Swedish Association of Physiotherapists and the National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden. Elisabeth Westerdahl has supervised three PhD students who have graduated in 2013 (Uppsala University), 2015 and 2019 (Örebro University). Supervision for another two PhD students is ongoing at Örebro University. On assignment, Elisabeth has been lecturing on the master's program in Medicine and has had group assignment on the Medical programme, Örebro University 2012-2018.

Professional connections

Swedish Association of Physiotherapists/Section for breathing and circulation, Swedish society pulmonary medicine (Svensk lungmedicinsk förening), Swedish society Clinical physiology (Svensk förening för klinisk fysiologi) and the European Respiratory Society.

Publications

Articles in journals |  Articles, reviews/surveys |  Chapters in books |  Conference papers |  Manuscripts | 

Articles in journals

Articles, reviews/surveys

Chapters in books

Conference papers

Manuscripts