Katie de Luca
B App Sci; M Chiro; PhD.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Macquarie University
Research interests and skills
Doctor Katie de Luca, PhD is practicing chiropractor from South West Rocks, NSW. She was awarded her PhD in Medicine/Public Health from the University of Newcastle in 2016. Dr. de Luca has 21 peer-reviewed published papers, and more than 50 conference presentations. These have been at regional, national and international conferences in the areas of gerontology, pain, public health and manual therapies. Her research interest is in the epidemiology and management of musculoskeletal conditions in the elderly, with expertise in osteoarthritis and low back pain. She has published the first report of individual subgroups of women with arthritis, based upon the sensory, cognitive and affective dimensions of pain. She is one of only 13 international CARL fellows and is the research chair for Sports Chiropractic Australia.
Ongoing research
The epidemiology of spinal pain in the elderly
Sports Chiropractic
Sitting and the development of low back pain
Is objectively measured sitting time associated with low back pain
The prevalence and impact of multi-site joint pain
Australian Chiropractic Research Network project
Exploring pain from a qualitative perspective in older Australia women
Building a research agenda for Sports Chiropractic in Australia
Research publications
de Luca K, Parkinson L, Hunter S Byles J. Qualitative insights into the experience of pain in older Australian women with arthritis. Australian Journal of Ageing, In Press - May, 2018.
Minkalis A, Vining R, Long C, Hawk C, de Luca K. A systematic review of thrust manipulation combined with one conservative intervention for rotator cuff and related non-surgical shoulder conditions. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 2018; 62(1)
de Luca, K., Gliedt, J., Fernandez, M., Kawchuk, G., Swain, M. (2017). The identity, role, setting, and future of chiropractic practice: a survey of Australian and New Zealand chiropractic students. J Chiropr Educ. (In press)
Adams, J., Kawchuk, G., Breen, Ax., De Carvalho, D., Eklund, A., Fernandez, M., Funabashi, M., Holmes, M.M., Johansson, M.S., de Luca, K., Moore, C., Page, I., Pohlman, K.A., Swain, M.S., Wong, A.Y.L., Hartvigsen J. Leadership and capacity building in international chiropractic research: introducing the chiropractic academy for research leadership (CARL). Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, 26(1), 5. [Download here]
Ferreira, M, de luca K. Spinal pain and its impact on older people. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 2017. In Press. [Download here]
de Luca K, Fang S, Ong J, Shin K, Woods S, Tuchin P. The efficacy of manual therapy on pain and quality of life in older persons with chronic low back pain: A systematic review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2017; 40(7):527-534
de Luca K et al. The relationship between spinal pain and comorbidity: a cross-sectional analysis of 579 community-dwelling, older, Australian women. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2017. In Press. [Download here]
Minkalis A, Vining R, Long C, Hawk C, de Luca K. A systematic review of the effectiveness of thrust manipulation for non-surgical shoulder conditions. Chiropr Man Therap. 2017; 25: 1.
de Luca K, et al. Identification of three subgroups of pain profiles in 227 older, community-dwelling women with arthritis via latent class analysis: results from a cross-sectional study. Clinical Rheumatology, 2017;36(3):625-634. [Download here]
de Luca K, et al. The prevalence and cross-sectional associations of neuropathic-like pain among older, community-dwelling women with arthritis. Pain Medicine 2016:17(7):1308-1316. [Download here]
de Luca K, Tuchin P, Bonello R. A web based survey of the motivations and challenges faced by Emerging Researchers in Chiropractic. Journal of Chiropractic Education 2015; 29(2): 151-8.
de Luca K, Parkinson L, Pollard H, Byles J, Blyth F. How is the experience of pain measured in older, community dwelling people with osteoarthritis? A systematic review of the literature. Rheumatology International 2015; 35(9): 1461-72.
de Luca K, Parkinson L, Byles J. A study protocol for the profile of pain in older women: assessing the multi dimensional nature of the experience of pain in arthritis. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2014;22(28)
Brantingham JW, … de Luca K, et al. Full kinetic chain manual and manipulative therapy plus exercise compared with targeted manual and manipulative therapy plus exercise for symptomatic osteoarthritis of the hip – a randomized clinical trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2012;93(2):259-67.
de Luca K, Pollard H, Brantingham J, Cassa T, Globe G. A randomised controlled trial of chiropractic management for the lower limb kinetic chain in sufferers of hip osteoarthritis: a study protocol. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. 2011; 10(2):86-92.
Pribecivic M, Pollard H, Bonello R, de Luca K. A systematic review of manipulative therapy for the treatment of shoulder pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2010; 33(9):679-689
Brantingham JW, Globe G, Cassa T, Globe D, de Luca K, et al,. A single-group pre-test post-test design using full kinetic chain manipulative therapy with rehabilitation in the treatment of 27 patients with hip osteoarthritis. Journal of the American Chiropractic Association 2010; 47(6):8-26.
de Luca K, Pollard H, Brantingham J, Cassa T, Globe G. Chiropractic management of the kinetic chain for the treatment of hip osteoarthritis: an Australian case series. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2010; 33(6):474-9.
Brantingham J, Globe G, Cassa T, Globe D, de Luca K, Pollard H. A single-group pre-test post-test design using full kinetic chain manipulative therapy with rehabilitation in the treatment of 18 patients with hip osteoarthritis. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2010; 33(6):445-57.
de Luca K, Pollard H. A descriptive report of management strategies used by chiropractors, as reviewed by a single independent chiropractic consultant in the Australian workers compensation system. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2009; 17:12
Pollard H, Ward G, Hoskins W, Hardy K. The effect of a manual therapy knee protocol on osteoarthritic knee pain: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association 2008; 52(4):229-42.
Pollard H, Hardy K. The organisation of the stress response, and its relevance to chiropractors: a commentary. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2006; 18(14):25.
Pollard H, Hardy K, Curtin D. Biopsychosocial model of pain and its relevance to chiropractors. Chiropractic J Australia: 2006(36:3): 92-96.