Christina Le

What is your role at the Glen Sather Clinic?

I have been a physiotherapist and member of our multidisciplinary knee team at the Glen Sather Clinic since 2015. I’m fortunate to work closely with our amazing sport medicine physicians and orthopaedic knee surgeons on a regular basis. Having been on our knee team for a long time, I primarily see people with knee injuries, especially anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.

What did you study and where?

I recently completed my PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Alberta in January 2023. My PhD research focused on understanding and restoring quality of life in young athletes with a variety of knee injuries. I also hold a Master of Science in Physical Therapy (2011) and Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (2009) from the University of Alberta. I’ve taken a number of continuing education courses spanning from functional dry needling to prevention of running injuries.

What are your key areas of interest as a physiotherapist?

Knees, knees, knees! After years of treating people with ACL injuries and researching knee injuries in my PhD, I ironically ruptured my ACL and MCL in 2017! I can empathize with the challenges associated with a long rehabilitation journey. My work, research, and patient experiences have shaped my treatment approach which includes 1) using evidence-based practices, 2) addressing physical and mental aspects of rehab, and 3) educating and empowering patients.

Do you have any specific research interests and publications?

My work wife (Linda Truong) and I presented about the FAST Program at the Sportfisio Swiss Conference in 2022: Watch video on YouTube.

Additionally, I was asked to talk about quality of life and osteoarthritis after a knee injury for ACL Study Day as part of their Patient Perspectives in ACL Injury and Rehab. All of these presentations are free to watch.

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My publications
Published papers
  1. Chan, M., Le, C. Y., Dennett, E., Defreitas, T., & Whittaker, J. L. (2019). Team-based musculoskeletal assessment and healthcare quality indicators: A systematic review. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 33(6), 774–781. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2019.1569603 

  2. Filbay, S. R., Skou, S. T., Bullock, G. S., Le, C. Y., Räisänen, A. M., Toomey, C., Ezzat, A. M., Hayden, A., Culvenor, A. G., Whittaker, J. L., Roos, E. M., Crossley, K. M., Juhl, C. B., & Emery, C. (2022). Long-term quality of life, work limitation, physical activity, economic cost and disease burden following ACL and meniscal injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis for the OPTIKNEE consensus. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 56(24), 1465–1474. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-105626 

  3. Holt, C. J., McKay, C. D., Truong, L. K., Le, C. Y., Gross, D. P., & Whittaker, J. L. (2020). Sticking to It: A scoping review of adherence to exercise therapy interventions in children and adolescents with musculoskeletal conditions. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 50(9), 503–515. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2020.9715 

  4. Lawford, B. J., Master, H., Larsen, J. B., Bartholdy, C., Corrigan, P., Ginnerup‐Nielsen, E., Le, C., Teoli, A., Bennell, K. L., Metcalf, B., Hinman, R. S., Button, K., Collins, N. J., Cottrell, E., Henrotin, Y., Skou, S. T., Thoma, L. M., Wellsandt, E., White, D. K., & Holden, M. A. (2023). What should a toolkit to aid the delivery of therapeutic exercise for hip and knee osteoarthritis look like? Qualitative analysis of an international survey of 318 researchers, clinicians, and consumers by the OARSI Rehabilitation Discussion Group. Musculoskeletal Care. https://doi.org/10.1002/msc.1732 

  5. Le, C. Y., Toomey, C. M., Emery, C. A., & Whittaker, J. L. (2021). What does the future hold? Health-Related quality of life 3–12 years following a youth sport-related knee injury. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13), 6877. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136877 

  6. Le, C. Y., Truong, L. K., Holt, C. J., Filbay, S. R., Dennett, L., Johnson, J. A., Emery, C. A., & Whittaker, J. L. (2021). Searching for the Holy Grail: A systematic review of health-related quality of life measures for active youth. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 51(10), 478–491. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2021.10412 

  7. Marino, K. R., Vishnubala, D., Ahmed, O. H., Zondi, P. C., Whittaker, J. L., Shafik, A., Le, C. Y., Chatterjee, D., Odulaja, A., Jones, N. E., & Thornton, J. S. (2020). Embrace your discomfort: Leadership and unconscious bias in sport and exercise medicine. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(6), 303–304. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-103061 

  8. Nazari, G., Bobos, P., Lu, S. (Ze), Reischl, S., Sharma, S., Le, C. Y., Vader, K., Held, N., & MacDermid, J. C. (2022). Effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization for the management of upper body, lower body, and spinal conditions. An updated systematic review with meta-analyses. Disability and Rehabilitation, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2070288 

  9. Truong, L. K., Mosewich, A. D., Holt, C. J., Le, C. Y., Miciak, M., & Whittaker, J. L. (2020). Psychological, social and contextual factors across recovery stages following a sport-related knee injury: A scoping review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(19), 1149–1156. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-101206 

  10. Truong, L. K., Mosewich, A. D., Miciak, M., Pajkic, A., Le, C. Y., Li, L. C., & Whittaker, J. L. (2021). Balance, reframe, and overcome: The attitudes, priorities, and perceptions of exercise‐based activities in youth 12–24 months after a sport‐related ACL injury. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 40(1), 170–181. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.25064 

  11. Whittaker, J. L., Culvenor, A. G., Juhl, C. B., Berg, B., Bricca, A., Filbay, S. R., Holm, P., Macri, E., Urhausen, A. P., Ardern, C. L., Bruder, A. M., Bullock, G. S., Ezzat, A. M., Girdwood, M., Haberfield, M., Hughes, M., Ingelsrud, L. H., Khan, K. M., Le, C. Y., … Crossley, K. M. (2022). OPTIKNEE 2022: Consensus recommendations to optimise knee health after traumatic knee injury to prevent osteoarthritis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 56(24), 1393–1405. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-106299 

  12. Whittaker, J. L., Truong, L. K., Losciale, J. M., Silvester-Lee, T., Miciak, M., Pajkic, A., Le, C. Y., Hoens, A. M., Mosewich, A., Hunt, M. A., Li, L. C., & Roos, E. M. (2022). Efficacy of the SOAR knee health program: Protocol for a two-arm stepped-wedge randomized delayed-controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-022-05019-z 

  13. Whittaker, J. L., Truong, L. K., Silvester-Lee, T., Losciale, J. M., Miciak, M., Pajkic, A., Le, C. Y., Hoens, A. M., Mosewich, A. D., Hunt, M. A., Li, L. C., & Roos, E. M. (2022). Feasibility of the SOAR (Stop OsteoARthritis) program. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open, 4(1), 100239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocarto.2022.100239

My publications that are under review

  1. Le CY, Pajkic A, Losciale JM, Filbay SR, Emery CA, Manns, PJ, & Whittaker JL. Comparing short-term knee-related quality of life and other relevant clinical outcomes between youth with and without a sport-related knee injury. Clin J Sport Med. 

  2. Le CY, Filbay SR, Emery CA, Manns PJ, & Whittaker JL. Youth with a sport-related knee injury exhibit significant and persistent knee-related quality of life deficits at 12-month follow-up compared to uninjured peers. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther.

What are your favourite ways to stay active?

I played soccer all my life but retired after my ACL injury. Now I play hockey (although not very well), snowboard, and go to the gym. I also joined the Peloton cult during the pandemic and love it!

What has been your biggest accomplishment as a physiotherapist and/or athlete?

Surviving my PhD is my biggest life accomplishment in general! I also played varsity soccer with the University of Alberta Pandas from 2007-2011 and captained our team in my final year.

What days/hours are you at the clinic?

Wednesday afternoons/evenings from 1:00pm to 7:00pm.