Paul Firth

Biography

I am an Exercise Physiologist and Professional Member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). I took a non-traditional route through education and did not go to university until I was 28 years old. Previous to this I worked as an Olympic weightlifting coach, accredited Strength and Conditioning coach with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (USA) and Adidas Performance Trainer. These roles meant that I spent most of my time in various types of gyms both in the public and private sector. My early experiences of working with physiotherapists started while I was still undertaking my BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science. My interest had moved from sporting performance to health and I worked in corporate environments such as Shell (UK) Ltd and Scottish Power in the South East of England. Working with physiotherapists, my focus became promoting and enhancing the health of employees in both a preventative and rehabilitative context. In 2000 I moved further north to Shropshire to take up a role as an Exercise Science Advisor at Lifestyle Exercise and Physiotherapy. This private rehabilitation centre was contracted to provide cardiac rehabilitation at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and University Hospital North Midlands. This is where my relationship with Keele University began as I had the opportunity to educate Keele physiotherapy students in a clinical setting. In 2008 I took up a role within the School of Health and Rehabilitation as both co-ordinator of clinical placements as well as a Teaching Fellow before moving into full time lecturing. In the last eight years I have had the opportunity to both design and develop aspects of the physiotherapy curriculum as it relates to physical activity, exercise, health promotion and exercise physiology. I have also been a part of the team responsible for the innovative BSc (Hons) Rehabilitation Science course, now in its second year.

Research Interest

I am currently undertaking a PhD investigating employee well-being and its subsequent impact on work productivity.