Mrs. Sandy Lord

Sandy Lord is a South African physiotherapy researcher affiliated with the University of the Witwatersrand, with collaborative work linked to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. Her scholarship centres on rehabilitation within public health contexts, with particular attention to patient experiences, service delivery innovation, and the integration of mental and physical healthcare in physiotherapy practice.

Her research explores barriers to rehabilitation, including qualitative work on weight-bearing with circular external fixators, highlighting the interplay of physical, psychological, and social factors in recovery. Additional contributions examine physiotherapy students’ knowledge and attitudes toward mental health, as well as lifestyle interventions for comorbid mental and physical conditions, reflecting a strong interest in holistic, patient-centred care.

Lord has also contributed to advancing telerehabilitation in resource-constrained settings, particularly in response to service disruptions during the pandemic. This body of work, based on a limited number of available publications, demonstrates expertise in qualitative inquiry, health systems responsiveness, and the strengthening of physiotherapy’s role in integrated and accessible healthcare.