Meta Eek PhD

Meta Nystrom Eek is an associate professor and senior physiotherapist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Vastergotland, Sweden. Meta's research area is muscle strength and movement analysis in cerebral palsy. Research has shown that you can be weak when you have cerebral palsy (CP), but it is possible to increase strength with strength training. Furthermore, the increase in strength has an effect on walking ability and it is possible to measure strength even in spastic muscles. After her Ph.D., Meta works with approximately 40% externally funded research and 60% clinical work.

In her research part, she is working on several clinical research projects. One of the projects involves evaluating changes in muscle strength after treatment with botulinum toxin. In another project, the sitting function is evaluated in children and young people who have had an intraoperative baclofen pump. Together with Lundberg's laboratory for orthopedic research, Meta is working on a project where the walking pattern of children with leg length differences and cerebral palsy is investigated. A larger study of strength training in young adults with cerebral palsy is ongoing. It is a project that is run together with researchers at the Regional Habilitation, Lundberg's laboratory for orthopedic research, the adult habilitation in Gothenburg, and the Sports Academy.

Meta is also a supervisor for several master's projects in his research area, including a project that evaluates the stretching of hamstrings with Creutz splints and another project on jumping ability in young adults with cerebral palsy. Meta has worked actively in the evidence work initiated by the Swedish Association of Habilitation Managers. She has been part of the group that assessed the evidence for methods that affect the walking ability of children with CP and was a supervisor in the group that has worked with evidence for methods to maintain or improve joint mobility. Meta is also a supervisor in several clinical development projects at the Regional Habilitation. One project is a quality assurance of post-operative care/training at the Regional Habilitation and another project has dealt with the sitting of children with disabilities and corrective corsets.