Fife fitness instructor gains her PhD
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Sheona Mchale, who works with Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, gained her degree at Edinburgh Napier University thanks to a passion to find out more about how the body responds to physical activity, particularly for those who have experience of cardiac heart disease (CHD).
She has worked in the sports and leisure industry for over 20 years, and it was during her time with the trust’s self-funded health and wellbeing programme designed to support local people living with long-term health conditions that Sheona’s interest in exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for individuals diagnosed with CHD began.
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Hide AdShe said: “I was approached by an NHS Fife nurse specialist to take part in a pilot course to develop the first specialist exercise instructor qualification for the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (BACPR).
“This, and the people I supported, inspired me to keep studying.”Sheona completed a BA in Sports Studies, and then went on to achieve a post-graduate teaching certificate, followed by a Master of Research (MRes) and a PhD, both funded by Edinburgh Napier University.
Sheona said: “The current trust delivery model offers a programme aimed at supporting individuals to self-manage their cardiac condition, lifestyle, and physical activity behaviour over the longer term - an approach proven to reduce rehospitalisation and improve quality of life.
"Moving on from the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is planned that this programme will also include a few cardiac rehabilitation exercise specialists able to personalise fitness programmes within trust gyms across Fife.”