Dr Helen Crank BA (Hons), MSc, PhD
Principal Research Fellow
Summary
Helen is a principal research fellow in the Centre for Sport and Exercise Science at Sheffield Hallam University. Her particular research interest lies in cancer and exercise rehabilitation.
About
Her research interests lie in the field of physical activity for health, promoting positive health behaviour with clinical and non-clinical populations.
Helen's current research work is focussed upon the design and delivery of pragmatic lifestyle interventions based upon lifestyle modification and physical activity for cancer patients and patients with chronic diseases.
Taking part in physical activity during and after cancer treatment can enable a person to take back some control, regain a sense of normality and help manage some of the effects of treatment, such as fatigue, depression, breast cancer related lymphoedema and weight gain. Helen's research experience to date has involved working within the NHS, local authority and voluntary sectors.
Specialist areas of interest
Cancer and exercise rehabilitation
Breast cancer related lymphoedema
Supporting health-care and leisure professionals to deliver exercise as therapy for clinical conditions
Research
Active Everyday, supporting cancer survivors into physical activity.
Macmillan Cancer Support Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity.
Development of an integrated approach to promoting and sustaining recovery in cancer patients through exercise in Sheffield.
Macmillan Cancer Support
Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity
Sheffield Children's Hospital
National Institute for Health Research
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust
Publications
Journal articles
Robinson, R., Crank, H., Humphreys, H., Fisher, P., & Greenfield, D.M. (2023). Allied health professional's self-reported competences and confidence to deliver physical activity advice to cancer patients at a single Centre in England. Disability and rehabilitation, 45 (24), 4058-4064. http://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2143580
Humphreys, L., Frith, G., Humphreys, H., Crank, H., Dixey, J., Greenfield, D.M., & Reece, L.J. (2023). Evaluation of a city-wide physical activity pathway for people affected by cancer: the Active Everyday service. Supportive Care in Cancer, 31 (2). http://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-07560-y
Saxton, J.M., Pickering, K., Wane, S., Humphreys, H., Crank, H., Anderson, A.S., ... Wilson, C. (2022). Co-designed weight management intervention for women recovering from oestrogen-receptor positive breast cancer. BMC Cancer, 22 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-10287-y
Saxton, J.M., Pickering, K., Wane, S., Crank, H., Anderson, A.S., Cain, H., ... Wilson, C. (2022). The experiences and perceptions of female breast cancer patients regarding weight management during and after treatment for oestrogen-receptor positive disease: a qualitative study. BMC Cancer, 22 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-10238-7
Robinson, R., Crank, H., Humphreys, H., Fisher, P., & Greenfield, D.M. (2022). Time to embed physical activity within usual care in cancer services: a qualitative study of cancer healthcare professionals' views at a single centre in England. Disability and rehabilitation. http://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2134468
Myers, A., Quirk, H., Lowe, A., Crank, H., Broom, D., Jones, N., ... Copeland, R. (2021). The Active Hospital Pilot: a qualitative study exploring the implementation of a Trust-wide Sport and Exercise Medicine-led physical activity intervention. PLoS One, 16 (9). http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257802
Quirk, H., Hock, E., Harrop, D., Crank, H., Peckham, E., Travis-Turner, G., ... Copeland, R. (2020). Understanding the experience of initiating community-based group physical activity by people with serious mental illness: a systematic review using a meta-ethnographic approach. European Psychiatry, 63 (1). http://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.93
Probst, H., Rosbottom, K., Crank, H., Stanton, A., & Reed, H. (2020). The patient experience of radiotherapy for breast cancer: A qualitative investigation as part of the SuPPORT 4 All study. Radiography. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2020.09.011
Humphreys, L., Crank, H., Dixey, J., & Greenfield, D.M. (2020). An integrated model of exercise support for people affected by cancer: consensus through scoping. Disability and Rehabilitation, 1-10. http://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2020.1795280
Mitropoulos, A., Gumber, A., Crank, H., Akil, M., & Klonizakis, M. (2020). Exploring the feasibility of an exercise programme including aerobic and resistance training in people with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis. Clinical Rheumatology, 39 (6), 1889-1898. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-019-04921-7
Kesterton, S., Crank, H., Tew, G., Michaels, J., Gumber, A., McIntosh, E., ... Klonizakis, M. (2019). Participant experiences in a feasibility trial of supervised exercise training in adults with venous leg ulcers: a qualitative study. International Wound Journal. http://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.13252
Quirk, H., Crank, H., Carter, A., Leahy, H., & Copeland, R. (2018). Barriers and facilitators to implementing workplace health and wellbeing services in the NHS from the perspective of senior leaders and wellbeing practitioners: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health, 18, 1362. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6283-y
Mitropoulos, A., Gumber, A., Crank, H., Akil, M., & Klonizakis, M. (2018). Investigating the effectiveness and feasibility of exercise on microvascular reactivity and quality of life in systemic sclerosis patients: study protocol for a feasibility study. Trials, 19, 647. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-018-2980-1
Mitropoulos, A., Gumber, A., Crank, H., Akil, M., & Klonizakis, M. (2018). The effects of upper and lower limb exercise on the microvascular reactivity in limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis patients. ARTHRITIS RESEARCH & THERAPY, 20. http://doi.org/10.1186/513075-018-1605-0
Klonizakis, M., Tew, G., Gumber, A., Crank, H., King, B., Middleton, G., & Michaels, J.A. (2018). Supervised exercise training as an adjunct therapy for venous leg ulcers: a randomised controlled feasibility trial. British Journal Of Dermatology, 178 (5), 1072-1082. http://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.16089
Humphreys, L., Crank, H., Frith, G., Speake, H., & Reece, L. (2017). Bright spots, physical activity investments that work: Active Everyday, Sheffield’s physical activity service for all people living with and beyond cancer. British Journal of Sports Medicine. http://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098672
Mitropoulos, A., Gumber, A., Crank, H., & Klonizakis, M. (2017). Validation of an arm crank ergometer test for use in sedentary adults. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 16, 558-564. http://www.jssm.org/abstresearchajssm-16-558.xml.xml
Quirk, H., Crank, H., Harrop, D., Hock, E., & Copeland, R. (2017). Understanding the experience of initiating community-based physical activity and social support by people with serious mental illness: a systematic review using a meta-ethnographic approach. Systematic Reviews, 6 (214). http://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-017-0596-2
Flint, S., Crank, H., Tew, G., & Till, S. (2017). “It's not an obvious issue is it?” Office-based employees' perceptions of prolonged sitting at work: a qualitative study. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59 (12), 1161-1165. http://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001130
Crank, H., Carter, A., Humphreys, L., Snowdon, N., Daley, A., Woodroofe, N., ... Saxton, J.M. (2017). A qualitative investigation of exercise perceptions and experiences in people with multiple sclerosis before, during and after participation in a personally-tailored exercise program. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 98 (12), 2520-2525. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2017.05.022
Klonizakis, M., Crank, H., Gumber, A., & Brose, L.S. (2017). Smokers making a quit attempt using e-cigarettes with or without nicotine or prescription nicotine replacement therapy : impact on cardiovascular function (ISME-NRT) - a study protocol. BMC public health, 17 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4206-y
Flint, S., Scaife, R., Kesterton, S., Humphreys, L., Copeland, R., Crank, H., ... Carter, A. (2016). Sheffield Hallam Staff Wellness Service: four year follow-up of the impact on health indicators. Perspectives in Public Health, 136 (5), 295-301. http://doi.org/10.1177/1757913916630009
Tew, G.A., Michaels, J., Crank, H., Middleton, G., Gumber, A., & Klonizakis, M. (2015). Supervised exercise training as an adjunctive therapy for venous leg ulcers: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 16 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-0963-z
Tew, G.A., Humphreys, L., Crank, H., Hewitt, C., Nawaz, S., Al-Jundi, W., ... Gorely, T. (2015). The development and pilot randomised controlled trial of a group education programme for promoting walking in people with intermittent claudication. Vascular Medicine, 20 (4), 348-357. http://doi.org/10.1177/1358863X15577857
Gorely, T., Crank, H., Humphreys, L., Nawaz, S., & Tew, G.A. (2015). “Standing still in the street”: Experiences, knowledge and beliefs of patients with intermittent claudication—A qualitative study. Journal of Vascular Nursing, 33 (1), 4-9. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvn.2014.12.001
Saxton, J., Scott, E.J., Daley, A.J., Woodroofe, N., Mutrie, N., Crank, H., ... Coleman, R.E. (2014). Effects of an exercise and hypocaloric healthy eating intervention on indices of psychological health status, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation and immune function after early-stage breast cancer : a randomised controlled trial. Breast Cancer Research, 16 (2), R39. http://doi.org/10.1186/bcr3643.
Saxton, J.M., Scott, E., Daley, A.J., Woodroofe, M.N., Mutrie, N., Crank, H., ... Coleman, R.E. (2014). Effects of an exercise and hypocaloric healthy eating intervention on indices of psychological health status, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation and immune function after early-stage breast cancer: a randomised controlled trial. Breast Cancer Research, 16 (2), R39. http://doi.org/10.1186/bcr3643
Gunasekera, R.C., Moss, J., Crank, H., Mitchell, P.A., Nawaz, S., & Tew, G.A. (2014). Patient recruitment and experiences in a randomised trial of supervised exercise training for individuals with abdominal aortic aneurysm. Journal of Vascular Nursing, 32 (1), 4-9. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvn.2013.05.002
Goyder, E., Hind, D., Dimairo, M., Minton, J., Everson-Hock, E., Reade, S., ... Cooper, C. (2014). A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of 'booster' interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods. Health technology assessment, 18 (13), 1-210. http://doi.org/10.3310/hta18130
Scott, E., Daley, A.J., Doll, H., Woodroofe, N., Mutrie, N., Crank, H., ... Saxton, J. (2013). Effects of an exercise and hyocaloric healthy eating program on biomarkers asociated with long term prognosis after early stage breast cancer:a randomized controlled trial. Cancer Causes and Control, 24 (1), 181-191. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-012-0104-x
Tew, G., Moss, J., Crank, H., Mitchell, P.A., & Nawaz, S. (2012). Endurance exercise training in patients with small abdominal aortic aneurysm : a randomised controlled pilot study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 93 (12), 2148-2153. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2012.07.012
Bourke, L., Sohanpal, R., Nanton, V., Crank, H., Rosario, D., & Saxton, J. (2012). A qualitative study evaluating experiences of a lifestyle intervention in men with prostate cancer undergoing androgen suppression therapy. Trials, 13 (208). http://doi.org/10.1186/1745-6215-13-208
Campbell, A., Stevinson, C., & Crank, H. (2012). The BASES Expert Statement on exercise and cancer survivorship. Journal of sports sciences, 30 (9), 949-952. http://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2012.671953
Tew, G., Klonizakis, M., Crank, H., Briers, J.D., & Hodges, G.J. (2011). Comparison of laser speckle contrast imaging with laser Doppler for assessing microvascular function. Microvascular Research, 82 (3), 326-332. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.mvr.2011.07.007
Campbell, A., Stevinson, C., & Crank, H. (2011). The BASES expert statement on exercise and cancer survivorship. The Sport and Exercise Scientist, (28), 16-17. http://www.bases.org.uk/Exercise-and-Cancer
Bourke, L., Thompson, G., Gibson, D., Daley, A., Crank, H., Adam, I., ... Saxton, J. (2011). Pragmatic lifestyle intervention in patients recovering from colon cancer: a randomized controlled pilot study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 92 (5), 749-755. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2010.12.020
Bourke, L., Doll, H., Crank, H., Daley, A., Rosario, D., & Saxton, J. (2011). Lifestyle intervention in men with advanced prostate cancer receiving androgen suppression therapy: a feasibility study. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers and prevention, 20 (5), 647-657. http://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-1143
Scott, E.J., Dimairo, M., Hind, D., Goyder, E., Copeland, R.J., Breckon, J.D., ... Cooper, C.L. (2011). "Booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods: internal pilot and feasibility study. BMC Public Health, 11 (129), 1-11. http://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-129
Hind, D., Scott, E.J., Copeland, R., Breckon, J., Crank, H., Walters, S.J., ... Goyder, E. (2010). A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of "booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods. BMC Public Health, 10 (3). http://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-3
O'Donovan, G., Blazevich, A.J., Boreham, C., Cooper, A.R., Crank, H., Ekelund, U., ... Stamatakis, E. (2010). The ABC of physical activity for health: a consensus statement from the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Journal of sport sciences, 28 (6), 573-591. http://doi.org/10.1080/02640411003671212
Copeland, R., Crank, H., Hall, A., & Millbourn, A. (2010). Be Active: promoting physical activity in overweight people. Practice nursing, 21 (11), 569-573.
Daley, A.J., Crank, H., Saxton, J.M., Mutrie, N., Coleman, R., & Roalfe, A. (2007). Randomized trial of exercise therapy in women treated for breast cancer. Journal of clinical oncology, 25 (13), 1713-1721. http://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2006.09.5083
Daley, A.J., Crank, H., Mutrie, N., Saxton, J.M., & Coleman, R. (2007). Patient recruitment into a randomised controlled trial of supervised exercise therapy in sedentary women treated for breast cancer. Contemporary clinical trials, 28 (5), 603-613. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2007.02.009
Saxton, J.M., Daley, A., Woodroofe, N., Coleman, R., Powers, H., Mutrie, N., ... Crank, H. (2006). Study protocol to investigate the effect of a lifestyle intervention on body weight, psychological health status and risk factors associated with disease recurrence in women recovering from breast cancer treatment. BMC cancer, 6. http://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-6-35
Daley, A.J., Mutrie, N., Crank, H., Coleman, R., & Saxton, J. (2004). Exercise therapy in women who have had breast cancer: design of the Sheffield women's exercise and well-being project. Health education research, 19 (6), 686-697. http://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyg094
Conference papers
Mitropoulos, A., Gumber, A., Crank, H., Akil, M., & Klonizakis, M. (2018). The effects of upper and lower limb exercise on the microvascular reactivity in systemic sclerosis patients (abstract only). Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 77, 1788. http://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-eular.1979
Probst, H., Reed, H., Rosbottom, K., Stanton, A., Crank, H., Bryan-Jones, K., & Collins, K. (2018). OC-0192: The development of a device to immobilise the breast during radiotherapy: The SuPPORT 4 All project. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 127, S103-S104. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8140(18)30502-4
Reports
Copeland, R., Crank, H., Lyons, N.M., & Gibson, D. (2012). Be active: a community based approach to promoting physical activity in overweight individuals. SHU.
Theses / Dissertations
Greasley, R. (2019). A lifestyle intervention to improve outcomes in men with castrate-resistant prostate cancer. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Broom, D., Rosario, D., & Crank, H. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00165
Posters
Rosbottom, K., Probst, H., Choppin, S., Bragg, C.M., Collins, K., Crank, H., ... Langley, J. (2016). Using 3D stereophotogrammetry to evaluate the stability, and positional accuracy of a breast immobilisation device. Presented at: UK Radiation Oncology Conference, Liverpool, 2016
Other activities
External PhD examiner