Ishanka Weerasekara

Position:  Lecturer
Discipline:  Physiotherapy
Location: Gippsland, Room 4N-258
Phone:  +61351226550
Email:  i.weerasekara@federation.edu.au

Qualifications

PhD (Physiotherapy) – The University of Newcastle – 2020

Master of Philosophy – University of Peradeniya – 2015

Bachelors in Physiotherapy – University of Peradeniya – 2011

Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Statistics – University of Peradeniya – 2013

Diploma in Exercise and Sport Sciences – University of Peradeniya – 2010


Teaching

Courses

Bachelor of Physiotherapy

Units

Health & Healthcare in Australia (NHPHS 1401)
Foundations of Allied Health Professional Practice (NHPRH 1004)

Biography

Ishanka, a licensed physiotherapist registered with AHPRA, holds a PhD in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. She is a full-time Lecturer at Federation University, an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at The University of Adelaide, and an Adjunct Associate Lecturer at The University of Newcastle. With over 10 years of academic experience in Australia, Norway and Sri Lanka, she is deeply committed to advancing evidence-based research in medical and health sciences, striving to enhance research quality while minimising research waste. Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YUCSVZgAAAAJ&hl=en
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8195-5057

Areas of expertise

Ishanka has a clinical background in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy, particularly in the management of the ankle injuries.

She has a research background in musculoskeletal research, and in evidence synthesis, mainly systematic and scoping review methodology.

Research interests

  • Musculoskeletal research
  • Ankle sprain, and chronic ankle instability
  • Mobilisation with movement (MWM)
  • Evidence based research
  • Systematic review and evidence synthesis methodology

Supervision

PhD (Physiotherapy) (2): The University of Newcastle (1), The University of Adelaide (1)

Master of Clinical Physiotherapy (3): Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (3*)

Master of Philosophy (3): The University of Adelaide (1), University of Peradeniya (2§),

Honours (19): Federation University (8), The University of Newcastle (7*), University of Peradeniya (2*§), University of Peradeniya (2*)

(*completed, §main supervisor)

Publications

Refereed journal articles

Reports
2024
1.Israel Júnior Borges do Nascimento, Ishanka Weerasekara, Jodie Marquez, Hebatullah Mohamed Abdulazeem, Lenny T. Vasanthan, Genevieve Deeken, Rosemary Morgan, Heang-Lee Tan, Isabel Yordi Aguirre, Lasse Østeengaard, Indunil Kularathne, Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Robin van Kessel, Edson Zangiacomi Martinez, Miljana Grbic, David Novillo-Ortiz. WHO Project report. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe (Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO World Health Organization. (2024).

Journals (recent)
2024
1.Novillo-Ortiz, D., Abdulazeem, H., do Nascimento, I., Weerasekara, I., Sharifan, A., Bianco, V., Cunningham, C., Kularathne, I., Deeken, G., Østengaard, L., Frederique-Djurdjevic, R., van Hoof, J., Lazeri, L., Redlich, C., Marston, H., dos Santos, R. , Azzopardi-Muscat, N., & Yon, Y. (2024). Utilization of Digital Health Technologies (DHTs) for Dementia Care: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Report. JMIR Mental Health (Accepted)
2.Uthayarajan N, Jayawardene D, & Weerasekara I. Quality and sources of food and water consumed by people with chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology in Sri Lanka: A systematic review. Journal of Nephrology 2024 (Accepted)
3.Alowaydhah S, Weerasekara I, Walmsley S, Keir S, Marquez J. Perceived physical activity levels and objective measures; a mixed-methods study of residents aged 65 and above in assisted living homes in Australia. Journal of Aging Research. 2024 (Accepted)
4.Nissimov S, Sibrecht G, Weerasekara I, Bartocci M, & Bruschettini M. Minimizing blood sampling in preterm infants (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2024 (Accepted)
5.Alanazi SA, Vicenzino B, Christiaan JA, van Bergen, David J. Hunter, Erik A. Wikstrom, Hylton B. Menz, Yvonne M. Golightly, Smith MD, Core Domain Set for Ankle Osteoarthritis Consensus group.. Development of a core domain set for ankle osteoarthritis: An international consensus study of patients and health professionals. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2024 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2024.07.004
6.Alowaydhah S, Weerasekara I, Walmsley S, Marquez J. Physical exercise for healthy older adults and those with frailty: what exercise is best and is there a difference? a systematic review and meta-analyses. Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research. 2024 (Accepted)
7.Alowaydhah S, Weerasekara I, Walmsley S, Marquez J. The effects of various types of physical exercise on health outcomes in older adults with depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. Depression and Anxiety. 2024 (Accepted)
8.Babić A, Barcot O, Visković T, Šarić F, Kirkovski A, Barun I, Križanac Z, Ananda R, Fuentes Barreiro Y, Malih N, Dimcea D, Ordulj J, Weerasekara I, Spezia M, Žuljević M, Šuto J, Tancredi L, Pijuk A, Sammali S, Iascone V, von Groote T, Poklepović Peričić T, Puljak L. Frequency of use and adequacy of Cochrane risk of bias tool 2 in non-Cochrane systematic reviews published in 2020: meta-research study. Research Synthesis Methods 2024;1-11.
9.Walpola, T, Jayawardene, KLTD & Weerasekara, I. The secretor status of blood group antigens in the saliva in people with oral cancers: a systematic review. Systematic Reviews  2024;13(1): 1-10.

2023
10.Meg E Morris, Nikki Rowntree, Anita Hodge, Sally Fowler-Davis, Jonathan P McKercher, Ishanka Weerasekara, Vincent Rovtar, Cathy Jones, Matthew Knight, Claire Thwaites. Patient reported outcome measures for rehabilitation hospitals; a scoping review. Physical Therapy Reviews. 2023 (accepted).
11.Weerasekara I, Hall M, Shaw L, Kiegaldie D. Instruments evaluating the quality of the clinical learning environment in nursing education: An updated systematic review. Nurse Education in Practice. 2023 [accepted].
12.Leticia Ferreira, Rodrigo Almeida, Alair Arantes, Hebatullah Abdulazeem, Ishanka Weeraseka, Letícia Ferreira, Luana Messias, Luciana Couto, Maria Auxiliadora, Núbia Antunes, Raíssa Cândido, Samuel Ferreira, Tati Assis, Thais Pedroso, Eric Boersma, Antonio Ribeiro, Milena Marcolino. Telemedicine-based management of oral anticoagulation therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2023  [accepted].
13.Dzator S, Weerasekara I, Shields M, Haslam R, James D. Agreement Between Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry and Bioelectric Impedance Analysis for Assessing Body Composition in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin J Sport Med. 2023 Epub ahead of print.
14.Amarasinghe P, Wadugodapitiya S, Weerasekara I. Biomechanical and clinical relationships between lower back pain and knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review. Syst Rev. 2023 2;12(1):28.
15.Pathirathna ML, Nandasena HMRKG, Samarasekara BPP, Dasanayake TS, Weerasekara I, Haruna M. Is Maternal Carbohydrate Intake Having an Impact on Newborn Birth Weight? A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 28;15(7):1649.
16.Kiegaldie D, Weerasekara I, Shaw L. Investigating the Effects of Intraprofessional Learning in Nursing Education: Protocol for a Longitudinal Study. Nurs Rep. 2023 17;13(2):740-750.

2022
17.Weerasekara I, Lamawansa MD, Devane D, Lund H (2022). Letter to the editor: Academic Recognition of Systematic Reviews and the Evidence-based Research Approach in Postgraduate Health and Clinical Sciences in Sri Lanka-Can the University of Peradeniya. Sri Lankan Journal of Health Sciences 1(1).
18.Snodgrass SJ, Weerasekara I, Edwards S, Heneghan NR, Puentedura EJ, James C (2020). Relationships between the physical work environment, postures and musculoskeletal pain during COVID-19: A survey of frequent computer users. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine [accepted]
19.Pérez-Neri I, Pineda C, Flores-Guerrero JL, Estêvão MD, Vasanthan LT, Lorente S, García-González R, Devulapalli V, Weerasekara I, de Aguiar DR, Barros-Sevillano S. Adherence to literature search reporting guidelines in leading rheumatology journals' systematic reviews: umbrella review protocol. Rheumatology international [accepted]
20.Prabani KIP, Weerasekara, I,  Damayanthi. HDWT.(2022). COVID 19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among the patients with cancer during the COVID 19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Health [accepted]
21.Senarath ID, Chen KK, Weerasekara I, de Zoete RMJ. Exercise-induced hypoalgesic effects of different types of physical exercise in individuals with neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain Pract. 2023 Jan;23(1):110-122.
22.Pathirathna, ML, Kalhari, R, Madushani, M, Weerasekara, I. (2022). Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Suicidal Attempts and Death Rates: A Systematic Review. BMC Psychiatry [accepted].
23.Bandara EMIA, Indunil, N, Brain, K. Weerasekara, I. (2022). Safety and efficacy of therapeutic taping in primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports [accepted]  
24.Weerasekara, I., Osmotherly, P. G., Snodgrass, S., Walmsley, S., Tessier, J., & Rivett, D. A. Use of detuned laser in manual therapy research: is it an appropriate placebo? Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics [accepted].
25.Pathirathna, ML., Samarasekara, B. P. P., Dasanayake, T. S., Saravanakumar, P., Weerasekara, I. (2022). Adverse perinatal outcomes in COVID-19 infected pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Care [accepted].
26.Bohatko-Naismith, J., Marley, J., McCormack, L., Weerasekara, I., & James, D. (2022). Health screening questionnaires used in the management of mental distress acquired during an injured worker’s return to work: a scoping study. WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation [accepted]

2021
27.Damayanthi HDWT, Prabani KIP, Weerasekara I. Factors Associated for Mortality of Older People with COVID 19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. January 2021.
28.Weerasekara I, Baye J, Burke M, Crowfoot G, Mason G, Peak R, Simpson D, Walker FR, Nilsson M, Pollack M, English C. What do stroke survivors' value about participating in research and what are the most important research problems related to stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)? A survey. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2021;10;21(1):209.
29.Borges do Nascimento IJ, Mathuna DP, von Groote TC, Abdulazeem HM, Weerasekara I, Marusic A, Puljak L, Civile VT, Zakarija-Grkovic I, Poklepovic Pericic T et al: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: An Overview of Systematic Reviews. BMC Infectious Diseases. BMC Infect Dis. 2021 Jun 4;21(1):525.
30.Borges do Nascimento IJ, Marcolino MS, Abdulazeem HM, Weerasekara I, Azzopardi-Muscat N, Gonçalves MA, Novillo-Ortiz D. Impact of Big Data Analytics on People's Health: Overview of Systematic Reviews and Recommendations for Future Studies. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Apr 13;23(4):e27275.
31.Downs, C., Snodgrass, S. J., Weerasekara, I., Valkenborghs, S. R., & Callister, R. (2021). Injuries in Netball-A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine - Open, 7(1), 3.

2020
32.Weerasekara, I., Osmotherly, P. G., Snodgrass, S., Tessier, J., & Rivett, D. A. (2020). Is the fibula positioned posterioly in weight-bearing in individuals with chronic ankle instability? A case control study. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 1-8.
33.  Borges do Nascimento, I. J., von Groote, T. C., O'Mathúna, D. P., Abdulazeem, H. M., Henderson, C., Jayarajah, U., Weerasekara, I., . . . Jeroncic, A. (2020). Clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics and outcomes of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection in humans: A systematic review and series of meta-analyses. PLOS ONE, 15(9)
34.Borges do Nascimento, I. J., Marušić, A., Ćaćić, N., Abdulazeem, H., Abdar Esfahani, M., Jayarajah, U., Jeroncic, A., von Groote, T., Civile, V., Junior, N., Weerasekara, I., Poklepović Peričić, T., Zakarija-Grkovic, I., Guimaraes, S., Bragazzi, N., Sofi-Mahmudi, A., Tian, M., Arcani, D. M. C., & Marcolino, M. S. (2020). Novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in humans: a scoping review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine 9 (4), 941
35.Weerasekara I, Deam H, Bamborough N, Brown S, Donnelly J, Thorp N, Rivett DA: Effect of Mobilisation with Movement (MWM) on clinical outcomes in lateral ankle sprains: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Foot 2020, 43:10165.
36.English, C., Weerasekara, I., Carlos, A., Chastin, S., Crowfoot, G., Fitzsimons, C., Holliday, E., Janssen, H. C., Mackie, P., Mead G. & Dunstan, D. (2020). Investigating the rigour of research findings in experimental studies assessing the effects of breaking up prolonged sitting - extended scoping review. Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy [published online ahead of print] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32439303/

2019
37.Mackie P, Weerasekara I, Crowfoot G, Janssen H, Holliday E, Dunstan D, English C: What is the effect of interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent bouts of physical activity or standing on first or recurrent stroke risk factors? A scoping review. PLOS ONE 2019, 14(6):e0217981. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31194799
38.Weerasekara I, Osmotherly PG, Snodgrass SJ, Tessier J, Rivett DA: Effects of mobilisation with movement (MWM) on anatomical and clinical characteristics of chronic ankle instability: a randomised controlled trial protocol. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2019, 20(1):75.
39.Weerasekara I, Tennakoon SUB, Suraweera HJ: Pain Level, Range of Motion, and Foot Volume Do Not Differ in Recurrent and First-Time Ankle Sprains. Foot & Ankle Specialist 2019:1938640019843331.
40.Zwiers R, Dobbe J, Streekstra G, Blankevoort L, Wiegerinck J, Maas M, ... Weerasekara, I. et al. Exorotated radiographic views have additional diagnostic value in detecting an osseous impediment in patients with posterior ankle impingement. Journal of ISAKOS: Joint Disorders & Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (BMJ journals). 2019: jisakos-2019-000272. (On behalf of the Ankle Platform Study Group)

2018
41.Weerasekara I, Osmotherly P, Snodgrass S, Marquez J, de Zoete R, Rivett DA: Clinical benefits of joint mobilization on ankle sprains: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2018, 99(7):1395-1412.e1395.
42.Marquez J, Weerasekara I, Chambers L: Hippotherapy in adults with acquired brain injury: A systematic review. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice 2018:1-12.
43.Hunter DJ, Rivett DA, McKiernan S, Weerasekara I, Snodgrass SJ: Is the inclinometer a valid measure of thoracic kyphosis? A cross-sectional study. Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29576490

2017
44.Weerasekara I, Hiller CE: Chronic musculoskeletal ankle disorders in Sri Lanka. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2017, 18:219.

2016
45.Weerasekara I, Tennakoon SUB, Suraweera HJ. Contrast Therapy and Heat Therapy in Subacute Stage of Grade I and II Lateral Ankle Sprains. Foot & Ankle Specialist. 2016;9(4):307-323.


Refereed conference proceedings

2024
1.Radosevic T, Weerasekara I, Bala MB, Zajac J, Briel M, Pieper D, Puljak L. Guidance on evidence-based research (EBR) approach in reporting guidelines: a cross-sectional study. Global Evidence Summit. Prague, Czech Republic. September 10-13, 2024.

2023
2.Babic A, Barcot O, Visković T, Šarić F, Kirkovski A, Barun I, Križanac Z, Ananda RA, Fuentes Barreiro YV, Malih N, Dimcea DAM, Ordulj J, Weerasekara I, Spezia M, Žuljević MF, Šuto J, Tancredi L, Pijuk A, Sammali S, Iascone V, Poklepovic Pericic T, Puljak L. Frequency of use and reporting adequacy of Cochrane RoB 2 tool in non-Cochrane systematic reviews published in 2020: meta-research study. Oral presentation at the 2023 Cochrane Colloquium in London. September 4-6, 2023.

2022
1.Alowaydhah S, Walmsley S, Weerasekara I, Marquez J. Exercise recommendations for the healthy aged and those with disease conditions: a systematic review. Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG) conference November 2022, Adelaide
2.Weerasekara I, Lamawansa MD, Devane D, Lund  H(2022). Taking the Lead Towards a Successful Story: Academic Recognition of Systematic Reviews and the Evidence-based Research (EBR) Approach in Sri Lankan Universities. 3rd Evidence Based Research Conference: "Seeing further: the past, present and future of Evidence-Based Research", Bergen, Norway.
3.Praveena S, Liyanage E, De Silva THESJ, Weerasekara I, Amaratunga HA (2022). Prevalence and potential risk factors of medial stress syndrome among the newly recruited officer cadets at Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka. PeMSARC’22 Peradeniya Medical School Annual Research Conference, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya

2021
4.Baye J, Weerasekara I Burke M, Crowfoot G, Mason G, Rachael P, Dawn S,… English C. What do stroke survivors’ value about participating in research and what are the most important research problems related to stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)? A survey. ACT research symposium 2021
5.Bohatko-Naismith J, Marley J, McCormack L, Weerasekara I, James D. A scoping review: The effectiveness of mental health screening tools used to detect the onset of mental health conditions of Australian construction workers while engaged in the return to work process. XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work; 2021 September; Canada. (accepted)

2020
6.Baye J, Burke M, Crowfoot G, Mason G, Rachael P, Weerasekara I, English C: What stroke survivors value about participating in research and their research priorities. A survey. In: SMART STROKES 2020 conference: August 20 – 21, 2020; Sofitel Brisbane, QLD; 2020.
7.Pillay M, Weerasekara I, Ranawalage U, Boateng E: Investigating the Measurement of Resilience Engineering for Improving Organisational Safety. In: 3rd International Conference on Human Systems Engineering and Design: Future Trends and Applications (IHSED 2020) September 22-24 2020; Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Croatia; 2020.

2019
8.Weerasekara I, Osmotherly P, Snodgrass S, Tessier J, Rivett D: Fibular position in chronic ankle instability radiographically measured in weight-bearing. In: 8th International Ankle Symposium Amsterdam, Netherland; 2019.
9.Weerasekara I, Osmotherly P, Snodgrass S, Tessier J, Rivett D: Fibular position in chronic ankle instability (CAI) and the reliability of weight bearing radiographic measurements of fibular position. . In: World Confederation for Physical Therapy Congress Geneva, Switzerland; 2019
10.Mackie P, Weerasekara I, Crowfoot G, Janssen H, Holliday E, Dunstan D, English C: SSA 2019 Conference, 10 – 13 September 2019, Canberra, Australia: Abstracts. International Journal of Stroke 2019, 14(2_suppl):3-30.

Associations

  • Member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA)
  • APA grant review committee member
  • Staff member of Cochrane Norway
  • Former fellow of Ireland Evidence Synthesis
  • Associate Editor of BMC Systematic Reviews
  • Editorial Member of BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Steering Committee Member Osteoarthritis special interest group, Australian and New Zealand (ANZMUSC) Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network