Physiotherapy is far more than just treatment – it is applied science applied to people. In the Physiotherapy Research Group at THU, we combine clinical research, digital methodology and therapeutic practice into an approach that is demonstrably effective and tailored to the individual.
More accurate diagnoses and treatment methods tailored to the individual, which are digitally evaluated and adjusted during treatment – this is the direction in which the field is developing. Our research uses motion analysis, wearable sensors and AI-supported methods to place therapeutic decisions on a solid scientific footing.
Multimodal pain therapy & biopsychosocial interventions:
Research and further development of multimodal treatment approaches for chronic pain, including through pain science education, self-management, graded activity/exposure and lifestyle interventions in the context of biopsychosocial pain therapy.
Implementation research of biopsychosocial approaches in care and studies:
Development and implementation of biopsychosocial approaches in physiotherapy care and university teaching. Focuses on interdisciplinary training programs, pain competence of health professionals, evidence-based teaching and clinical decision making.
Chronic pain & central pain processing mechanisms:
Research into central pain processing mechanisms in chronic musculoskeletal pain, in particular whiplash-associated complaints and chronic back pain. A particular focus is on central sensitization, sensorimotor processes and neurophysiological adaptation mechanisms.
ORCID: ORCID - Margot De Kooning
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Margot-De-Kooning?ev=hdr_xprf
Pain In Motion international research consortium: https://paininmotion.be/
Our research focuses on two of the most pressing health challenges of an ageing society: mobility, fall prevention and frailty in old age as well as the use of physical activity in dementia.
Prof. Dr. Tim Fleiner is researching clinical projects on dementia, depression, delirium and fall prevention - with the aim of bringing non-pharmacological therapies into care in an evidence-based manner. Physical training not only strengthens the muscles, but also stimulates the brain - a principle that guides our work from geriatrics to geriatric psychiatry. Prevention, rehabilitation and maintaining independence in everyday life are not abstract goals, but concrete research questions that we work on every day.
ORCID: https: //orcid.org/0000-0003-2949-940X
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tim-Fleiner
Prof. Dr. Samuel Schülein conducts research into the systematic assessment, clinical evaluation and physiotherapeutic intervention of mobility-related limitations in older people. The focus is on movement restrictions, gait and balance disorders, dizziness, risk of falls, frailty and sarcopenia.
His clinical research and project work focus in particular on mobility, fall prevention and fall syndromes in old age, geriatric assessments and care research as well as on the physiological reactions of vulnerable groups of people to climatic stress factors, especially heat and indoor climate stress.
Mobility, fall prevention and training in old age
Clinical research on the assessment, evaluation and promotion of mobility in older people. A particular focus is on falls and fall prevention, frailty, sarcopenia, dizziness and the development, implementation and evaluation of training and prevention programs in old age, especially as part of the MoSi project - Mobility and Safety in Old Age (Link).
Technology-supported movement analysis and assistive systems
Development, testing and evaluation of technical systems for the objective recording and support of movement, mobility and gait function. This includes sensor-based methods of gait analysis, mobile measurement systems and the development and acceptance testing of assistive systems. As part of the Horizon 2020 EU project XoSoft, one focus was on the development of a modular, soft exoskeleton for the lower extremities to support people with mobility impairments (link).
Assessments, clinical measurement tools and geriatric care research
Investigation, translation, validation and clinical classification of geriatric assessments for mobility and fall risk assessment. This includes in particular the German translation of the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment according to Tinetti (POMA) and the comparison of different assessments with regard to their applicability in everyday clinical geriatric practice.
Climate, indoor climate and the health of vulnerable groups
Interdisciplinary research into the effects of extreme climatic conditions on health and performance. The newly launched project KLEVER - Climate, Influence, Behavior, Resilience is investigating physiological stress caused by increased dew point temperatures and stressful indoor climate conditions in order to develop practical adaptation strategies for buildings and vulnerable groups.
ORCID: https: //orcid.org/0000-0002-4056-632X
ResearchGate: https: //www.researchgate.net/profile/Sam-Schuelein
Clinical sports therapy & oncology (prehabilitation):
Research into the effects of (high-intensity) endurance and strength training in high-risk oncology patients, particularly those with breast cancer and in the context of allogeneic stem cell transplants. A particular focus here is on training control, immunological adaptations and heart health.
Performance diagnostics, prevention & athlete monitoring:
Assessment of physical performance, injury prevention and anthropometric analyses in professional youth and elite sports (with a strong focus on competitive sports such as soccer and handball).
Physiological adaptation processes & rehabilitation:
Investigations into inflammation parameters (inflammation), recovery capacity and performance under special physiological conditions - for example after COVID-19 infections or during extreme endurance exercise.
Main topics
Digitalization in physiotherapy:
Investigation, development and evaluation of digital technologies in physiotherapy care, from app-based training and education programs to home-based rehabilitation applications.
Health services research:
Analysis and further development of physiotherapy care quality, including through standardized measurement instruments, Delphi procedures and vignette-based study designs.
Musculoskeletal physiotherapy:
Evidence-based physiotherapy for musculoskeletal disorders, particularly hip and knee osteoarthritis and older people with limitations in muscle strength and body composition.
ORCID: https: //orcid.org/0000-0002-6226-9879
ResearchGate: https: //www.researchgate.net/profile/Franziska-Weber-4?ev=hdr_xprf
Neural basis of motor control & motor learning:
Investigation of the neural and behavioral mechanisms of motor performance and motor learning in humans using non-invasive brain stimulation (TMS) and other neurophysiological methods (EEG, EMG).
Use of technology in physiotherapy & movement analysis:
Use of digital, sensor-based and instrumental methods to record movement and physical performance and to investigate training-based interventions. The aim is to transfer these approaches into physiotherapeutic, rehabilitative and clinical contexts to support motor learning processes and therapeutic interventions.
Assistive technologies:
Investigation of the benefits, acceptance and suitability for everyday use of assistive technologies in older adults in cooperation with the Institute for Geriatric Research at Ulm University Hospital.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5034-7174
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patrick-Wiegel
Project manager: Prof. Dr. Thomas Engleder
Project duration: 01.01.2020 - 30.06.2022
Funded by: Federal Government - BMWi
Program name: ZIM
Project description:
The performance of physiotherapy exercises in the home environment is associated with many potential errors, especially at the beginning of therapy. The aim of the project is to develop a system to support the patient's rehabilitation process by automatically monitoring the performance of physiotherapy exercises at home. In contrast to existing video-based systems, the "MyPhysio" project evaluates pressure distributions and IMU data during exercise using specifically adapted machine learning methods. In addition, the pre-trained networks are to be easily adapted to individual pathologies.
Betting K, Laekeman M, De Kooning M, Carvalho GF.:
Critical appraisal of pediatric pain education materials and the integration of lifestyle factors: a scoping review.
Disabil Rehabil. 2025 Dec 5:1-23.
doi: 10.1080/09638288.2025.2595180.
Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41348464.
Fleiner, Tim; Trumpf, Rieke; Zijlstra, Wiebren; Häussermann, Peter:
Geriatric Psychiatry in Motion - A Call to Integrate Physical Activity as a Major Treatment
Approach in Geriatric Psychiatry,
in: GeroPsych - The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry, Volume 38, Issue 3,
hogrefe, 2025, Pages 1-10.
DOI: doi.org/10.1024/1662-9647/a000350
ISSN: 1662-9647 / eISSN: 1662-971X
Haug, Vanessa; Mez, Gerd; Scheck, Rebecca; Leinert, Christoph; Denkinger, Michael; Fleiner, Tim:
A good stumbler does not fall! Perturbation-based balance training on treadmills in
geriatric rehabilitation,
in: Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie, Vol. 58, Is. 7, Springer Heidelberg, Springer Nature,
2025, pages 551-556.
DOI: 10.1007/s00391-025-02499-1
ISSN: 0948-6704
Mentz, Lennart; Winkert, Kay; Steinacker, Jürgen M.; Engleder, Thomas; Treff, Gunnar:
Validity of the RP3 rowing ergometer's mechanical power output measurement,
in: Sports Engineering Vol. 28, Is. 24, Springer, 2025, pages 1-8.
DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s12283-025-00504-9
ISSN: 1369-7072 / 1460-2687
Munneke, Wouter; De Kooning, Margot; Nijs, jo; Morin Carine; Berquin, Anne; Meeus, Mira;
Hartvigsen, Jan; Demoulin, Christophe:
Enhancing healthcare professionals' biopsychosocial perspective to chronic pain: assessing the
impact of implementing an interdisciplinary training program,
in: Pain, Vol. 166, Is. 3, Wolters Kluwer Health, 2025, pages 644-655.
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003403
ISSN: 0304-3959
Neumayr, Kathrin; Lippert, Katharina; Schroeder, A. Sebastian; Eck, Vinzenz G.; Tacke, Uta; Üzer,
Sevil; Flemmer, Andreas W.; Klemme, Mathias; Nussbaum, Claudia; Hesse, Nikolas; Pujades, Sergi;
Behr, Leander; Strieker, Sonja; Heinen, Florian; Landgraf, Mirjam N.:
Infants' General Movements Were Not Affected by Exposure to Maternal Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infections,
in: cta Paediatrica.(Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41424041), Wiley, 2025, pages 1-10.
DOI: 10.1111/apa.70420
ISSN: 0803-5253
Oppel, Heiko; Spilz, Andreas; Munz, Michael:
Optimizing training of time series diffusion models via similarity score functions: application to
cyclic and acyclic motion with IMU data,
in: Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, vol. 8, MDPI, 2025, pages 16.
DOI: 10.3389/frai.2025.1640948
ISSN: 2624-8212
Oppel, Heiko; Spilz, Andreas; Munz, Michael:
Time Series Similarity Score Functions to Monitor and Interact with the Training and Denoising
Process of a Time Series Diffusion Model applied to a Human Activity Recognition Dataset based on
IMUs,
in: arxiv: Computer Science - Machine Learning (cs.LG), arxiv, 2025, pages 12.
DOI: arXiv:2505.14739
Sattler, Tjard; Gottschalk, Sophie; König, Hans-Helmut; Braun, Tobias; Büchele, Gisela; Denkinger,
Michael; Fleiner, Tim; Nerz, Corinna; Rapp, Kilian; Schäufele, Martina; Werner, Christian; Dams,
Judith:
Path model explaining the association between fear of falling and health-related quality of life in
(pre-)frail older adults,
in: BMC Geriatrics, Vol. 25, Article 87, BMC, 2025, pages 10.
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-025-05718-x
ISSN: 1471-2318
Schulz SVW, Wizani L, Matits L, Schwarz E, Wiedemann P, Bizjak DA, Jerg A, Kirsten J, Henze AS.:
Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation.
in: Front Sports Act Living. 2025 Jul 8;7:1625015.
DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1625015.
PMID: 40697532; PMCID: PMC12279509.
Schulz SVW, Matits L, Schwarz E, Jerg A, Otte M, Wiedemann P, Bizjak DA, Kirsten J, Henze AS.:
Lower limb injuries and their association with anthropometrics - an observational study of 381 German elite youth football players.
in: BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025 Jun 4;17(1):143.
DOI: 10.1186/s13102-025-01190-7.
PMID: 40468419; PMCID: PMC12139064.
Schwenk, Michael; Ramirez Mantilla, Mitzi; Schmidt, Nina Marie; Haug, Vanessa; Werner, Christian;
Gruber, Markus; Denkinger, Michael; Fleiner, Tim:
Reliability of the adapted compensatory arm and leg movements scale during perturbation
treadmill walking in older adults,
in: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, Vol. 7, Frontiers, 2025, pages 7.
DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1658856
ISSN: 2624-9367
Spilz, Andreas; Oppel, Heiko; Werner, Jochen; Stucke-Straub, Kathrin,; Capanni, Felix; Munz, Michael:
GAITEX: Human motion dataset of impaired gait and rehabilitation exercises using inertial and optical sensors.
Sci Data. 2025 Dec 30;13(1):11.
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-025-06439-x
Üzer, Sevil; Sahin, Suzan; Arslan, Meltem Koyuncu; Oncel, Mehmet Yekta; Schroeder, A. Sebastian;
Hadders-Algra, Mijna:
Maternal refugee status is associated with less favorable motor performance and behavior in
term infants referred to a neonatal ward: a cross-sectional study,
in: BMC Pediatrics, Vol. 16, Art. No. 297, BMC, 2025, pages 1-12.
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-025-05658-w
ISSN: 1471-2431
Weber F, Kloek C, Bonk M, Grüneberg C, Veenhof C.:
Exploring the quality of physical therapy in patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis in Germany: a cross-sectional, vignette-based study.
in: Physical Therapy 105(8), pzaf083. 2025.
Fleiner, Tim; Haug, V., Scheck, V., Mez, G., Leinert, C., Denkinger, M:
Stumbling yes, falling no! An insight into the outpatient falls clinic,
in: pt-Zeitschrift für Physiotherapeuten , issue 4-2024, year (76), Pflaum Verlag, 2024, pp. 34-36.
ISSN: 0023-4494
Fleiner, Tim; Häussermann, Peter:
Physiotherapie und Bewegungstherapie (Chapter 2.4.2),
in: Gerontopsychiatrie multiprofessionell, Walter Hewerm, Vjera Holthoff-Detto, Simone Schmidt, Kathrin Seifert (eds.), Kohlhammer, 2024, pages 82-86.
DOI: 10.17433/978-3-17-041171-5
ISBN: 978-3-17-041171-5
Fleiner, Tim; Nerz, Corinna; Denkinger, Michael; Bauer, Jürgen M.; Grüneberg, Christian; Dams, Judith; Schäufele, Martina; Büchele, Gisela & PromeTheus Study Group:
Prevention at home in older persons with (pre-)frailty: Analysis of participants' recruitment and characteristics of the randomized controlled PromeTheus trial,
in: Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, Vol. 36, art. no. 120, Springer Nature, 2024, pages 9.
DOI: 10.1007/s40520-024-02775-x
ISSN: 1720-8319
Gottschalk, Sophie; König, Hans-Helmut; Werner, Christian; Fleiner, Tim; Thiel, Christian; Büchele, Gisela; Schäufele, Martina; Rapp, Kilian; Dams, Judith:
Association between physical activity and costs in very mild to moderately frail community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study,
in: BMC Public Health, vol. 24, Art. 2737, Springer Nature, 2024, pages 9.
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20253-x
ISSN: 1471-2458
Keifert, Miriam; Giannouli, Eleftheria; Fleiner, Tim:
Motorisch-kognitives Training im Therapiealltag,
in: pt-Zeitschrift für Physiotherapeuten, Heft 8-2024, Jahrgang(76), Pflaum Verlag, 2024, pp. 34-38.
ISSN: 0023-4494
Munneke W, Demoulin C, Nijs J, Morin C, Kool E, Berquin A, Meeus M, De Kooning M.:
Development of an interdisciplinary training program about chronic pain management with a cognitive behavioral approach for healthcare professionals: part of a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study.
BMC Med Educ. 2024 Mar 22;24(1):331.
Pauz, Rosemarie; Staats, Ann-Kathrin; Fleiner, Tim; Wulf, Ines Catharina:
Stolpern und Stürzen im Klinikkontext,
in: pt-Zeitschrift für Physiotherapeuten, Heft 12-2024, Jahrg. 76, Pflaum Verlag, 2024, S. 18-24.
ISSN: 0023-4494
Schnorr, Thiemo; Fleiner, Tim; Trumpf, Rieke; Prüter-Schwarte, Christian; Fanselow, Janina; Zijlstra, Wiebren; Haussermann, Peter:
Circadian disturbances, anxiety and motor disturbances differentiate delirium superimposed on dementia from dementia-only,
in: Frontiers Psychiatry, Vol. 15, 1407213, Frontiers, 2024, pp. 15.
DOI: doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1407213
ISSN: 1664-0640
Üzer S, Sahin S, Arslan MK, Oncel MY, Schroeder S, Hadders-Algra M.:
Refugee status of the mother is associated with less favorable motor performance and behavioral delay in the newborn.
in: physioscience 2024, 20(S 01): P23.
Weber F, Kloek C, Stuhrmann S, Blum Y, Grüneberg C, Veenhof C.:
Usability and preliminary effectiveness of an app-based physical activity and education program for people with hip or knee osteoarthritis - a pilot randomized controlled trial.
in: Arthritis Research & Therapy 26(1), 83. 2024.
Werner, Christian; Fleiner, Tim; Eidam, Annette; Buchner, Theresa; Wirth, Rainer:
Therapie der physischen Frailty,
in: DMW - Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 2024; 149(01/02), Thieme, 2024, pages 38-44.
DOI: 10.1055/a-2033-5001
ISSN: 0012-0472
Werner, Christian; Sturm, Melanie; Heldmann, Patrick; Fleiner, Tim; Bauer, Jürgen M.; Hauer, Klaus:
Predictors of 2-Year Post-Discharge Mortality in Hospitalized Older Patients,
in: Journal of Clinical Medicine 13(5): 1352, MDPI, 2024, pages 9.
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13051352
ISSN: 2077-0383
Wiegel, P., Fotteler, M. L., Kohn, B., Mayer, S., Verri, F. M., Dallmeier, D., & Denkinger, M.:
Perceived Benefit and Satisfaction With a Tablet Computer and an Emergency Smartwatch by Older Adults and Their Relatives: Prospective Real-World Pilot Study.
in: JMIR human factors, 11, 2024, e53811.
DOI: doi.org/10.2196/53811
