Stewart is a Senior Lecturer in Podiatry at the University of East London.  Stewart graduated as a podiatrist in 2002 and was awarded his PhD from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2006.  His main area of research is paediatrics and the manifestation of disease on the growth, development and function of the paediatric foot and lower limb.   Stewart’s current research is looking at biomechanical movement characteristics of the foot and lower limb in children, with currents projects in childhood obesity, developmental co-ordination disorder and Turner syndrome.  Stewart is leading on two projects funded by the Dr William M Scholl Podiatric Research and Development Fund investigating childhood obesity, alongside work investigating footwear biomechanics and the impact of stroke on the lower limb.  He is a member of the Human Motor Performance Group (http://www.uel.ac.uk/hmpg/index.htm) and director of studies for five PhD students.

Stewart teaches across the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes within Professional Health Sciences and is also the placement co-ordinator for the podiatry programme.

Member of the Human Motor Performance Group and the School Research Committee.

Stewart’s PhD looked at the influence of obesity on foot structure and gait characteristics in children. Whilst completing his PhD he worked alongside Gordon Watt at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow and this sparked a wider interest in paediatric podiatry. His current research projects are continuing this work in childhood obesity. In addition to this work, he is also involved in projects which are looking at the podiatric management of children with developmental coordination disorder and also the foot in Turner syndrome.

Stewart’s interest in foot biomechanics has recently extended beyond the paediatric population and he is currently involved in research looking at the impact of stroke on the lower limb along with a project looking at foot and footwear biomechanics.

• BSc (HONS) Podiatric Medicine
• BSc (HONS) Physiotherapy
• MSc Advanced Practice for Health Professions

Current modules that Stewart teaches on include:
 

• Clinical Podiatry Practice
• Sciences for Podiatric Practice
• The High Risk Foot
• Research
• Gait, Balance and Posture
• Dissertation

Funding

Morrison, Cramp (2012-2015). The influence of running shoes on the biomechanics of the foot and lower limb. ASICS/UEL PhD Studentship (£45,000)

Cramp, Morrison, Marsden (University of Plymouth), Freeman (University of Plymouth), Paton (University of Plymouth) (2012-2015) The effects of foot and ankle impairments on mobility and balance in community dwelling adults post stroke: a personal and multi-disciplinary approach. Dr William M Scholl Podiatric Research and Development Fund £164,265.

Morrison, Drechsler, Ferrari, Ecclestone (2012 – 2015)  Advancing clinical care for children with obesity.  Dr William M Scholl Podiatric Research and Development Fund.  £186, 979

Morrison, Cramp, Drechsler, Ferrari (2009-2012) Does excessive body mass alter the dynamic function of young children’s feet?  Dr William M Scholl Podiatric Research and Development Fund. £155,253.

Morrison, Smillie & Ferrari (2008-2010) The Canonbury Clinical Prize:  A pilot study to evaluate the benefit of foot orthoses prescribed in the rehabilitation of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder £5,000.

PhD Students

2008 – present  Stephen Cousins.   Impact of childhood obesity on biomechanical characteristics of the foot and lower limb.

2010 – present Ryan Mahaffey. Biomechanics of the foot and lower limb: associationsn with adiposity. 

2012 – present Cassandra Ecclestone.  The Impact of Biomechanical Characteristics on Musculoskeletal Pain in Young Obese Children

2012 - present. The Influence of Running Shoes on the Biomechanics of the Foot and Lower Limb .

Publications

Morrison, SC; Mahaffey, RD; Cousins, SD and Drechsler, WI. (2013). Current understanding of the impact of childhood obesity on the foot and lower limb. Journal of the Association of Paediatric Physiotherapists.  3 (2), 5 – 11.

Mahaffey, R., Morrison, S.C., Cramp, M., Drechsler, W.I.    3-Dimensional Analysis of the Paediatric Foot during Gait: A Comparison of Three Foot Models.  Submitted to Gait and Posture.  In Review.

Cousins, S.D., Morrison, S.C., Drechsler, W.I.  (2012)  The reliability of plantar pressure assessment during barefoot level walking in children aged 7-11 years.  Journal of Foot and Ankle Research.  5: 8.

Morrison, S.C., Ferrari, J., Smillie, S.  (2012)  Are spatio-temporal gait characteristics reliable outcome measures in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder?  Pediatric Physical Therapy.  24 (1), pp. 46 – 50.

Morrison, S.C., Izod A., Mahaffey, R.  (2012)  Evaluating the biomechanics of the paediatric foot in Turner syndrome: a case report.  Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.  102 (3), 259 – 263. 

Morrison, S.C., & Ferrari, J.  (2009)  Inter-rater reliability of the Foot Posture Index (FPI-6) in the assessment of the Paediatric Foot.  Journal of Foot and Ankle Research.  2, 26

Morrison, S.C., Durward, B.R., Watt, G.F., Donaldson, M.D.C.  (2009)  The prediction of anthropometric foot characteristics in children.  Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.  99 (6), 497 – 502

Morrison, S.C., Durward, B.R., Watt, G.F., Donaldson, M.D.C.  (2008)  The influence of body mass on the temporal parameters of peripubescent gait.  Gait and Posture.  27, 719 -721

Morrison, S.C., Durward, B.R., Watt, G.F., Donaldson, M.D.C. (2007)  Anthropometric foot structure of peripubescent children with excessive body mass versus normal body mass.  Journal of the American Podiatric Medicial Association.  97, 366-370. 

Conference Presentation/Abstract  (past year)

Mahaffey, R., Morrison, S.C., Cramp, M., Drechsler, W.I.  (2012)  Three dimensional analysis of the paediatric foot during gait.  International Foot and Ankle Biomechanics Conference.

Mahaffey, R., Morrison, S.C., Cramp, M., Drechsler, W.I.  (2011)  Three-dimensional analysis of the paediatric foot during gait.  Annual Conference of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. 

Morrison, S.C., Cousins, S.D., Drechsler, W.I.  (2011)  Plantar Pressure Characteristics in Obese Children.  Annual Conference of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. 

Cousins, S.D., Morrison, S.C. and Drechsler, W.I.  (2011)  The Reliability of Plantar Pressure Assessment in Children Aged 7 to 11 Years.  European College of Sport Science Congress.

Cousins, S.D., Morrison, S.C. and Drechsler, W.I.  (2011)  What are the effects of excessive body mass on the foot loading characteristics of children aged 7 – 11 years? European College of Sport Science Congress.

Memberships:

• The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists
• Health Professions Council
• National Podopaediatric Group
• National Obesity Forum
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Other

 It is indicated that childhood obesity can have a detrimental impact upon the musculoskeletal system and also, that it can affect children’s ability to ambulate efficiently.  It has been further postulated that such impact upon gait parameters may affect the ability of obese children to participate in physical activity.  This study was designed to evaluate the influence of body mass on the basic parameters of gait (spatio-temporal parameters).

Ethical approval was granted from Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Caledonian University and forty four children aged 9 – 11years were recruited for the research.  Following informed consent subjects were asked to ambulate across the GAITRite Gold® walkway and spatio-temporal parameters were recorded: cadence (steps/min), double support (% of gait cycle), single support (% of gait cycle), stance phase (% of gait cycle), and swing phase (% of gait cycle).  Post-hoc Scheffé tests were then conducted.

Significant differences (p < 0.05)  were found between the normal weight category when compared to the obese category for single and double support duration; single support duration for normal weight subjects was recorded as 39.7 (±1.25) % and as 37.5(± 3.4) % for obese subjects.  For double support duration this was 19.8 (± 2.4) % for normal weight children and as 23.8 (± 3.4) % for obese children.  It is postulated that increased double support duration is a compensatory mechanism to reduce instability caused by excess body mass.  Instability during movement may have implications for the active promotion of physical activity in children.