McMaster University 

Research Spotlight


Publication Highlight

Augeard N, Bostick G, Miller J, Walton D, et al. Development of a national pain management competency profile to guide entry-level physiotherapy education in Canada. Can J. Pain. 2022 Jan 11;6(1):1-11.

Sinead Dufour is an Associate Clinical Professor and physiotherapist at the Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University. Dr. Dufour was co-author in a pan-Canadian initiative to develop a consensus-based list of competencies for physiotherapy education regarding chronic pain management. A group of Canadian university-based and clinical pain educators contributed to two rounds of the modified Delphi design to reach consensus. The resulting competency profile details the competencies required during entry-level physiotherapy training to optimally address patients’ pain management. Such competencies include the development of a therapeutic alliance with the person living with pain, using a person-centered approach, and promoting the autonomy of the person living with pain to foster a partnership in care. Congratulations on this important initiative.

Ongoing Studies
Recruitment Completed
Saliba S, Carter-Ramirez A, Van Andel D, Tessier L, McNeill K, Malabarey O. A Randomized Trial: Can Postpartum Pelvic Floor Education Workshop in a High-Risk Population Improve Pelvic Floor Symptoms

Survey Completed
Clark K, Malabarey O. Canadian Resident Training in FPMRS: A Cross Sectional Survey

Preparing for REB Submission
Clark K, Malabarey O. Local Vaginal Estrogen vs. Hyaluronic Acid Use in Patients Using a Pessary for Pelvic Organ Prolapse

2020-2023 Publication List

Bernard S, Tandon P, Waters A, Selmani S, Wiebe E, Turner J, Dufour S, McNeely ML. Preferences, barriers and facilitators regarding virtual pelvic healthcare in individuals with gynaecological cancers: protocol for a patient-oriented, mixed-methods study. BMJ Open. 2023 Jan 25;13(1):e067606. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067606. PMID: 36697045.

Dufour S, Clancy A, Wu M; SOGC Urogynaecology Committee. Technical Update No. 433: eHealth Solutions for Urinary Incontinence among Women. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2022 Oct 20:S1701-2163(22)00671-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2022.10.005.

Pulsifer J, Britnell S, Sim A, Adaszynski J, Dufour S. Reframing beliefs and instilling facts for contemporary management of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. Br J Sports Med. 2022 Nov;56(22):1262-1265. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105724.

Dufour S. Optimizing the fourth trimester: A call to action. JWHPT 2022 Jan; 46(1):1-2.

Dufour S. Clinician's Commentary on Vader et al. Physiother Can. 2022 Jan 1;74(1):95-96. doi: 10.3138/ptc-2020-0060-cc. Epub 2022 Jan 31. PMID: 35185253; PMCID: PMC8816358.

Augeard N, Bostick G, Miller J, Walton D, Tousignant-Laflamme Y, Hudon A, Bussières A, Cooper L, McNiven N, Thomas A, Singer L, Fishman SM, Bement MH, Hush JM, Sluka KA, Watt-Watson J, Carlesso LC, Dufour S, Fletcher R, Harman K, Hunter J, Ngomo S, Pearson N, Perreault K, Shay B, Stilwell P, Tupper S, Wideman TH. Development of a national pain management competency profile to guide entry-level physiotherapy education in Canada. Can J Pain. 2022 Jan 11;6(1):1-11.

Vandyken B, Keizer A, Vandyken C, Macedo LG, Kuspinar A, Dufour S. Pelvic floor muscle tenderness on digital palpation among women: convergent validity with central sensitization. Braz J Phys Ther. 2021 May-Jun;25(3):256-261. doi: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2020.05.013. Epub 2020 Jun 6. PMID: 32563663; PMCID:

Dufour S, Wu M, SOGC Urogynecology Committee. No. 397 - Conservative Care of Urinary Incontinence in Women. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2020 Apr;42(4):510-522. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2019.04.009. PMID: 32303295.

Alaniz G, Dodds M, Erceg H, Moreira K, Mascola M, Dufour S. Knowledge of pelvic health physiotherapy among pre-licensure students. Physiotherapy Canada 2020; 72(3); 298–304; doi:10.3138/ptc-2018-0112.