Dr Laura O’Connor, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chiropractic at Durban University of Technology (DUT) graduateD with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Sciences at the DUT Autumn Graduation ceremony, held at the Olive Convention Centre on Saturday, 23 May 2026. This marked a significant academic milestone and contribution to musculoskeletal research.
Her doctoral thesis, titled “Cervical spinal manipulation for neck pain – effect on muscle recruitment patterns, spinal kinematics, pain and disability in participants in KwaZulu-Natal,” investigated the effect of cervical spinal manipulation as a treatment approach for individuals suffering from neck pain. The study explored how this intervention influences muscle recruitment patterns, spinal movement, pain intensity, and levels of disability among people with neck pain.
Dr O’Connor (49), is a DUT alumna, who moved from Johannesburg to Durban to study Chiropractic at the then Technikon Natal, which is now DUT. After graduating she moved to Ireland where she practiced as a chiropractor for several years. On returning to South Africa, she was employed in the Department of Chiropractic at DUT and maintained a part-time practice. At DUT she engages in lecturing, community outreach, administration and research.
Sharing insight as to why she chose this research topic for her PhD, Dr O’Connor said that as a chiropractor she has always been fascinated with how chiropractic treatment could bring about significant improvements in pain and function in people with neck and back pain. By undertaking this research was she was able to contribute to the growing body of knowledge around spinal manipulation and how it affects the neurophysiology and biomechanics of the human body. Her study was distinctive characterising differences between those with and without pain in terms of cervical spine and upper extremities during motion, she then went on to assess the effect of spinal manipulation on neck pain in terms of pain, disability, recruitment patterns of the muscles of the head and neck region together with cervical motion characteristics such as velocity and jerk.
Finding balance between her work and studies proved to be challenging, but she managed to succeed through the support from her family, Head of Department and her colleagues. Her biggest challenge was doing a PhD in an area that was not part of her undergraduate degree. She revealed that the hi-tech motion capture equipment was challenging to learn but with the assistance from a biomechanist she was able to overcome this obstacle. She shared that her supervisors were also very supportive and when she was struggling, she reached out to them, and they not only gave her advice on her study but helped her to navigate the journey. Dr O’Connor shared that she wanted to step out of her comfort zone and learn a new discipline, and this study allowed her to do that, venturing into biomechanics and neurophysiology.
She plans to continue researching in the biomechanics field extending her studies to other areas of how manual therapy can improve function. Her achievement reflects the lecturer’s dedication to advancing research in chiropractic and health sciences, while also strengthening the academic profile of the Department of Chiropractic at DUT. Her work is expected to inspire students and colleagues and further reinforce the university’s commitment to impactful research that addresses real-world health challenges.
Pictured: Dr Laura O’Connor, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chiropractic at DUT who obtained her PhD in Health Sciences.
Photographer: Khulasande Tshayile.
Simangele Zuma
