Professor Dr Tim Fleiner

Professor
Faculty Mechatronics and Medical Engineering
Directly to ...

Functions at the university

Professor Mechatronics and Medical Engineering
Member Institute for Teaching Excellence
Member Institute of Medical Engineering and Mechatronics

Research and teaching priorities

Key areas of research

  • Fall prevention in older people
  • AI-assisted gait analysis for the early detection of fall risks
  • Perturbation-based balance training and its translation into clinical practice
  • Motion analysis and sensor-based real-world mobility
  • Integration of medical technology and evidence-based physiotherapy

Teaching 

  • B.Sc. Physiotherapy: Module responsibility, including: Exercise Science and Movement Education, Professional Practice (including scientific work), Physiotherapy in Neurology, Cross-System Physiotherapy
  • Teaching principle: research-based teaching
  • Supervision of over 40 final-year dissertations to date, as well as co-supervision of several PhD theses

About me

I am a physiotherapist and sports scientist, and I head the Chair of Evidence-Based Physiotherapy Care at Ulm University of Applied Sciences. My driving force is to integrate medical technology and physiotherapy closely – to achieve modern, evidence-based healthcare. Clinically, I am based at the Institute for Geriatric Research (IfGF) and the Fall Clinic at Ulm University Hospital. There, I am working on AI-supported gait reaction analysis and perturbation-based balance training – with the aim of preventing falls.

Current vacancies

  • Since September 2024 – Chair in Evidence-Based Physiotherapy Care, Ulm University of Applied Sciences (Faculty of Mechatronics and Medical Technology)
  • Since March 2022 – Research Fellow / Postdoctoral Researcher, Ulm University Hospital, Institute for Geriatric Research (Establishment and management of the Fall Clinic)

Professional career (selection)

  • 2013–2025 – LVR Clinic, Cologne, Gerontopsychiatry: Establishment and management of the ‘Gerontopsychiatry in Motion’ programme
  • 2017–2023 – Postdoctoral Researcher, German Sport University Cologne (DSHS), Institute for Movement and Sport Gerontology
  • 2010–2024 – Physiotherapist in private practices and clinics (orthopaedics, neurology, geriatrics, pain management)

Academic training

  • 2014–2017 – PhD in Sports Science, DSHS Cologne (supervisors: W. Zijlstra, P. Häussermann); currently a postdoctoral researcher
  • 2011–2014 – MA in Sport and Movement Gerontology, DSHS Cologne
  • 2006–2010 – Diploma in Physiotherapy (University of Applied Sciences), University of Applied Sciences North Hesse
  • 2006–2009 – State Examination in Physiotherapy, Friedrichshafen

Awards & Qualifications (selection)

  • Teaching Award from the German Sport University Cologne (2020)
  • DGPPN Encouragement Award for Research in the Health Professions (2017)
  • Good Clinical Practice (2023)
  • Manual Lymphatic Drainage (2009), Manual Therapy (2012), Physiotherapy based on neurophysiology (2024)
  • Certificate in ‘Professional Teaching Competence for Higher Education’ (2017–2021)
  • Research visit to the University of British Columbia, Vancouver (2018)

Aktuelle Haupt-Publikationen:

  • Schmidt, N. M., Ruess, P., Morat, T., McCrum, C., Werner, C., Schwenk, M., & Fleiner, T. (2026). Perturbation-based balance training on treadmills for falls prevention in older adults: A review of training protocols and reporting recommendations (ProRePBT). BMC Geriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-026-07124-3
  • Schwenk, M., Ramirez Mantilla, M., Schmidt, N. M., Haug, V., Werner, C., Gruber, M., Denkinger, M., & Fleiner, T. (2025). Reliability of the adapted compensatory arm and leg movements scale during perturbation treadmill walking in older adults. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1658856
  • Rapp, K., Nerz, C., Fleiner, T., Denkinger, M., Büchele, G., Rehm, M., Mayer, B., Rothenbacher, D., Grüneberg, C., Braun, T., Hendlmeier, I., Schäufele, M., Dams, J., König, H.-H., Becker, C., Bauer, J. M., & Werner, C. (2026). Home-Based Intervention to Prevent Functional Decline in (Pre)frail Older Adults: The PromeTheus Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.70306
  • Fleiner, T., Nerz, C., Denkinger, M., Bauer, J. M., Grüneberg, C., Dams, J., Schäufele, M., Büchele, G., & Werner, C. (2024). Prevention at home in older persons with (pre-)frailty: Analysis of the randomized controlled PromeTheus trial. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-024-02775-x
  • Sperlich, E., Fleiner, T., Zijlstra, W., Häussermann, P., & Morat, T. (2021). Sarcopenia in geriatric psychiatry: Feasibility of the diagnostic process and estimation of prevalence within a hospital context. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12748
  • Fleiner, T., Dauth, H., Gersie, M., Zijlstra, W., & Häussermann, P. (2017). Structured physical exercise improves neuropsychiatric symptoms in acute dementia care: A hospital-based randomized controlled trial. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-017-0289-z

Gesamte Liste auf PubMed: