Liam Humphreys BSc, MSc
Research Fellow
Summary
Liam Humphreys is a Research Fellow with over 7 years' experience of working in the fitness industry, research and consultancy. Liam's main area of interest is the role of exercise in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease.
About
Liam completed his BSc (hons) from Leeds Metropolitan University in 2006,which led him to pursue further study, achieving MSc Physical Activity for Health from Sheffield Hallam University. Liam began his research and consultancy career working on the SHU Wellness service; an award winning workplace health programme.
He has developed his professional skills through intervention design and the management of research using a variety of methods including; pilot studies, large randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews, qualitative research, and public health evaluations.
Liam's specific areas of interest are the role of physical activity in the prevention and management of chronic disease, and health behaviour change, specialising in motivational interviewing.
As a Research Fellow, Liam's role involves the design and management of several exercise-related research studies for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), cardiovascular disease, intermittent claudication and cancer. Liam's latest work has focused on the design of innovative physical activity interventions for the management and rehabilitation of multiple sclerosis and the design and implementation of a physical activity referral scheme for people affected by cancer.
Liam's professional qualifications include; advanced (level 3) fitness instructor and level three award In Exercise Programming with Disabled People (IFI), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health Fitness Specialist and Cancer Exercise Specialist.
Specialist areas of interest
Physical Activity
Chronic disease
Qualitative research
Clinical exercise trials
Public health evaluations
Accelerometers
Research
Active Everyday: Macmillan physical activity programme for people living with and beyond cancer.
Developing a physical activity intervention for people with higher levels of multiple sclerosis disability.
Feasibility and Safety of high intensity interval training for people with low levels of multiple sclerosis disability.
Development of an integrated approach to promoting and sustaining recover in cancer patients through exercise in Sheffield.
The effects of exercise on health related quality of life and immune function in persons diagnosed with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis.
Development and pilot randomised trial of a group education programme for promoting walking in people with intermittent claudication.
SHU Wellness
Exploring the impact of the 'Active Woodlands' programme on physical activity attitudes, behaviour and education in primary school children.
An effectiveness evaluation of 'booster' interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle aged adults.
Publications
Journal articles
Rosenthal, K., Frith, G., Keen, C., Myers, A., Phillips, G., Pickering, K., ... Copeland, R. (2024). 158 Evaluation of a multi-modal rehabilitation programme for people affected by cancer: the Active Together service [abstract only]. European Journal of Public Health, 34 (Supple). http://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckae114.134
Myers, A., Humphreys, L., Thelwell, M., Pickering, K., Frith, G., Phillips, G., ... _, _. (2024). Embedding Multimodal Rehabilitation Within Routine Cancer Care in Sheffield—The Active Together Service Evaluation Protocol. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 1-12. http://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2023-0622
Keen, C., Phillips, G., Thelwell, M., Humphreys, L., Evans, L., Myers, A., ... Copeland, R. (2024). Correction: Keen et al. Establishing Innovative Complex Services: Learning from the Active Together Cancer Prehabilitation and Rehabilitation Service. Healthcare 2023, 11, 3007. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 12 (12), 1175. http://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12121175
Humphreys, L., Myers, A., Frith, G., Thelwell, M., Pickering, K., Mills, G.H., ... Copeland, R. (2024). The Development of a Multi-Modal Cancer Rehabilitation (Including Prehabilitation) Service in Sheffield, UK: Designing the Active Together Service. Healthcare, 12 (7). http://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12070742
Myers, A., Barlow, R., Baldini, G., Campbell, A., Carli, F., Carr, E., ... Copeland, R. (2024). International consensus is needed on a core outcome set to advance the evidence of best practice in cancer prehabilitation services and research. British Journal of Anaesthesia. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2024.02.021
Keen, C., Phillips, G., Thelwell, M., Humphreys, L., Evans, L., Myers, A., ... Copeland, R. (2023). Establishing Innovative Complex Services: Learning from the Active Together Cancer Prehabilitation and Rehabilitation Service. Healthcare, 11 (23). http://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11233007
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
Humphreys, L., Carter, A., Sharrack, B., & Copeland, R. (2022). High-intensity interval training in people with mild multiple sclerosis: a mixed-methods feasibility study. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 29 (5). http://doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2021.0073
Lavín-Pérez, A.M., Collado-Mateo, D., Mayo, X., Liguori, G., Humphreys, L., & Jimenez Gutierrez, A. (2021). Can Exercise Reduce the Autonomic Dysfunction of Patients With Cancer and Its Survivors? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.712823
Lavín-Pérez, A.M., Collado-Mateo, D., Mayo, X., Liguori, G., Humphreys, L., Copeland, R.J., & Jimenez Gutierrez, A. (2021). Effects of high-intensity training on the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 11 (1). http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94476-y
Lavín‐Pérez, A.M., Collado‐Mateo, D., Mayo, X., Humphreys, L., Liguori, G., Copeland, R., ... Jimenez Gutierrez, A. (2020). High‐intensity exercise to improve cardiorespiratory fitness in cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. http://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13861
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
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
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
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
Copeland, R.J., Horspool, K., Humphreys, L., & Scott, E. (2016). Recruiting to a large-scale physical activity randomised controlled trial – experiences with the gift of hindsight. Trials, 17, 104. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-016-1229-0
Carter, A., Humphreys, L., Snowdon, N., Sharrack, B., Daley, A., Petty, J., ... Saxton, J. (2015). Participant recruitment into a randomised controlled trial of exercise therapy for people with multiple sclerosis. Trials, 16 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-0996-3
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
Carter, A., Daley, A., Humphreys, L., Snowdon, N., Woodroofe, N., Petty, J., ... Saxton, J. (2014). Pragmatic intervention for increasing self-directed exercise behaviour and improving important health outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis : a randomised controlled trial. Multiple Sclerosis, 20 (8), 1112-1122. http://doi.org/10.1177/1352458513519354
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
Tew, G.A., Nawaz, S., Humphreys, L., Ouedraogo, N., & Abraham, P. (2014). Validation of the English version of the Walking Estimated-Limitation Calculated by History (WELCH) questionnaire in patients with intermittent claudication. Vascular Medicine, 19 (1), 27-32. http://doi.org/10.1177/1358863X14520870
Book chapters
Carter, A., Humphreys, L., & Sharrack, B. (2017). Exercise in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. In Watson, R.R., & Killgore, W.D.S. (Eds.) Nutrition and lifestyle in neurological autoimmune diseases. Multiple sclerosis. (pp. 179-187). London: Academic Press: http://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-805298-3.00018-9
Theses / Dissertations
Humphreys, L. (2023). Exploration of the Physical Activity Guidelines for People with Multiple Sclerosis. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Copeland, R., Carter, A., & Sharrack, B. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00537