Pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain affects 50-90% of pregnant women and is often dismissed as a normal part of pregnancy. However, the long-term consequences can be dramatic. Up to 21% of women with pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain still experience pain three years postpartum, and 10% continue to experience reduced quality of life and lower work ability 11 years after delivery. Because the multifactorial aetiology of pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain is unclear, prevention and treatment often fall short.
Previous studies on the causes of PLPP focused on impairments in motor output but ignored that impairments in sensory input (e.g., proprioception, the primary expertise of our research group) often precede motor output problems. Moreover, though psychological factors such as fear (of movement) are known to affect PLPP, their predictive role in PLPP remains understudied. Finally, the role of systemic inflammation in PLPP has yet to be examined, despite recent studies demonstrating its role in the chronification of lumbopelvic pain in the general population.
 
This PhD project involves conducting a prospective cohort study to identify novel predictors of pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain during pregnancy and postpartum. Pregnant women will be followed during and after pregnancy. Several hospitals (including Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Jessa Ziekenhuis, UZ Leuven) will be collaborated for this purpose. We will compare sensory, fear-related, and inflammatory factors between women with and without pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain, and determine their predictive role in the occurrence and maintenance of pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain. The 2 PhD fellows within this vacancy frame the "PROFit primi" research project (referring to proprioception, fear and inflammation in primiparae) funded by the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen (FWO). The project is supervised by several interuniversity and international partners and in collaboration with hospitals in Limburg and the Flemish part of Brabant. The supervising team consists of Prof Lotte Janssens, Prof Kenneth Verboven and Dr Nina Goossens (UHasselt), Prof Inge Geraerts, Prof Annick Bogaerts (KU/UZ Leuven), Prof Liesbet De Baets (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) and Prof Daniela Aldabe (Curtin University, Australia). One doctoral fellow is appointed to UHasselt and follows the Doctoral School of Health & Life Sciences programme (UHasselt). One doctoral fellow is appointed at KU Leuven and follows the Biomedical Doctoral School programme, option Exercise and Physical Activity in Health and Disease (KU Leuven). Both doctoral fellows are joint doctorates (joint-PhDs) between UHasselt (Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences) and KU Leuven (Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy).
 

Within the context of the further development of the research of the REVAL Rehabilitation Research Centre at Hasselt University, the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences has a vacancy for 2 PhD fellows (2 x 100%) to investigate sensory, anxiety-related and inflammatory predictors of the onset and maintenance of pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain. Within the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, REVAL is an interdisciplinary and translational research group that conducts research in the areas of pediatric, geriatric, neurological and musculoskeletal rehabilitation, biomechanics, health psychology, mental health and rehabilitation of internal disorders.
 In addition, the faculty organizes an educational program consisting of a 3-year academic bachelor and a 2-year academic master program in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy. This program has approximately 850 students. The faculty also provides education in the interuniversity master's program in Occupational Therapy Sciences. Within the faculty, REVAL ACADEMY organizes interdisciplinary continuing education focused on professionals in healthcare and rehabilitation. Within the perspective of a "civic university," the RELAB platform facilitates the provision of evidence-based advice to individuals with functioning problems, professionals within the healthcare sector and companies.
 

• You hold a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences, Movement Sciences, (Bio)Medical Sciences, Midwifery Sciences (or equivalent). Final-year students are also encouraged to apply. (or equivalent)
  Final-year students are (likewise) encouraged to apply.
• Experience with patients is a plus.
• You are willing to familiarise yourself with the use of advanced research equipment (e.g. force platform, analysis of inflammatory markers) and data processing programmes (e.g. Matlab). You are willing to collaborate with clinical partners (e.g. gynaecologists, midwives).
• You have reached good academic results.
• You have an understanding of setting up, conducting and analysing experimental research designs.
• You have strong problem-solving skills, are flexible, have organisational skills and are stress-resistant.
• You have excellent communication skills and a good knowledge of Dutch and English, both oral and written.
• You actively contribute to a positive working atmosphere, establishing connections between different domains and people (practice assistants, PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, professors).

You will be appointed and paid as PhD student.
Appointment for 2 years from September/October 2024. Once renewable for 2 years after positive evaluation.

The selection procedure consists of a preselection based on application file and an interview.
The selection procedure may be supplemented by a presentation or assignment. The selection procedure will be organised in June 2024.

Apply now
Apply up to 20.05.2024