Maria qualified as a physiotherapist in 2004. Her clinical career focused on the rehabilitation of patients with musculoskeletal conditions and her research interests therefore developed in this area. Maria completed an NIHR funded Master of Research Degree in Health Sciences, before taking up a post as a research physiotherapist in the NHS in 2015. In this role, Maria was involved in the design and delivery of both NIHR portfolio studies and investigator initiated commercially funded studies, relating to the management of patients with upper limb disorders. Maria was awarded her PhD in October 2022. Her PhD project involved the development of an m-health intervention to support the self-management of women with pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain.

Before taking up her current role of senior lecturer here at Edge Hill, Maria worked as a research associate at Mancheter Metropolitan University. 

Maria's research interests all relate to the management of individuals with musculoskeletal pain and include: m-health intervention development, the self-management of musculoskeletal conditions, the management of pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain, shoulder rehabilitation, and the role of dietary interventions in the management of muscloskeletal pain.