Melanie D. Bussey
BPE(New Brunswick) MSc. (New Brunswick) PhD (Otago)
Tel 64 3 479 8981
Email melanie.bussey@otago.ac.nz
Background
Melanie Bussey has been a lecturer of Biomechanics and Athletic Injury in the School of Physical Education, University of Otago since February 2004. Her Undergraduate and Masters Degrees were focused in the area of Athletic Therapy and she was a member of the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA) for several years before coming to New Zealand to pursue a PhD in Biomechanics in 2000. She is a member of the International Society of Biomechanics and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Biomechanics.
Research Interests
- Clinical Biomechanics
- Low back and Pelvic pain in athletic populations
- Balance and posture in special populations
- Movement and control of the pelvis and spine
Recently, Melanie has been involved in the development of new differential diagnosis
techniques for lumbar spine and pelvic dysfunction using non-invasive methods.
Generally, Melanie is interested in the mechanics and control of the
lumbar-pelvic-hip complex in the elderly and persons with chronic back pain,
with a particular focus on the pelvic joints and their role as the load transfer
mechanism between the lower limbs and spine. The application of theoretical
ideas from biomechanics, motor control and nonlinear dynamics to understanding
of the rehabilitation process and its effect on return to "normal" function is
also of particular interest.
Courses Taught
PHSE 303: Biomechanics of Sports Injuries
PHSE 310: Athletic Injuries
Recent Publications
Bussey, M. D. (2010). Does the demand for asymmetric functional lower body postures in lateral sports relate to structural asymmetry of the pelvis? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13(3), 360-364.
Bussey, M. D., Bell, M. L., & Milosavljevic, S. (2009). The influence of hip abduction and external rotation on sacroiliac motion. Manual Therapy, 14(5), 520-525. Available electronically at sciencedirect.com
Bussey, M. D., Milosavljevic, S., & Bell, M. L. (2009). Sex differences in the pattern of innominate motion during passive hip abduction and external rotation. Manual Therapy, 14(5), 508-513. Available electronically at sciencedirect.com
Bartlett, R., Bussey, M., & Flyger, N. (2006). Movement variability cannot be determined reliably from no-marker conditions. Journal of Biomechanics, 39(16), 3076-3079. Available electronically at sciencedirect.com
Bussey, M. D., Yanai, T., & Milburn, P. (2004). A non-invasive technique for assessing innominate bone motion. Clinical Biomechanics, 19(1), 85-90.
Books
Bartlett, R.M & Bussey, M.D. (2011). Sports Biomechanics: reducing injury risk and improving sports performance, 2nd edition. London:Routledge.
Refereed Journal Articles
Aldabe, D., Ribeiro, D.C., Milosavljevic, S., Bussey, M. (In Press). “Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain and its relationship with relaxin levels during pregnancy: a systematic review.” European Spine Journal.
Adhia, D. B., Bussey, M. D., Mani, R., Jayakaran, P., Aldabe, D., & Milosavljevic, S. (2012). Inter-tester reliability of non-invasive technique for measurement of innominate motion. Manual therapy, 17(1), 71-76. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2011.09.005
Trezise, J.A., Bartlett, R.M. & Bussey, M.D. (2011). “The effect of fatigue on movement coordination in sprinters.” International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching 6(3), 357-364.
To see details of postgraduate students this staff member may be supervising please visit the Postgraduate Profiles section of our website.
Last updated 24 Jan 2012
