Fiona Higgs

Fiona is a multi-disciplinary lecturer and researcher with specialised skills and experience in biomechanics, physiology and psychology. Fiona undertook her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Aberystwyth University (formerly University of Wales, Aberystwyth in the UK), which includes a PhD in Sport and Exercise Science.

She joined University College Birmingham in 2021 as a Lecturer in Sport after spending 10 years working in industry, when she held roles in data and student support and welfare management in a range of settings in charity, private and public sectors, including Higher and Further Education. Many of these experiences inform and influence her current teaching and pastoral practices in her current role at University College Birmingham.

Fiona is an active member of her clinical and research professional organisations, which includes being the host and producer of the 'Women in Sports Therapy' podcast for the Sports Therapy Association (STA UK).

At University College Birmingham Fiona has held module lead roles across several modules on the undergraduate programmes, including Exercise Science for Sports Therapists (1603), Exercise Instruction for Sports Therapists (2181) and Personal Development and Evidence-based Practice (2179) for BSc Sports Therapy.

Fiona also contributes to teaching across other modules including Graduate Advantage (OT172), Research for Sports Therapists (783) and Exercise as Medicine (1607). She acts as Individual Tutor for students enrolled on the BSc Sports Therapy programme, and provides project research supervision at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Fiona's research background is predominantly in the multi-disciplinary evaluation of exercise-based falls prevention interventions in older adults, which was the focus of her postgraduate research studies. 

Her current interests are investigating relationship between hormonal fluctuations through the menstrual cycle and measures of proprioception, balance and co-ordination, in female populations across the lifespan. This research is intended to inform earlier preventative approaches to falling that may occur in later life - particularly in female populations who have a longer life expectancy and higher incidence of falls and related injuries than their male counterparts. ORCID ID: 0009-0002-1670-8778

Outside of her work at University College Birmingham Fiona is a host for 'Women in Sports Therapy' podcast and also representative of her professional body the 'Sports Therapy Association'.

She also delivers short courses covering the foundations of biomechanical principles.