Young Researcher Award
Kyriakos Martinos Petropoulakos
University of Thessaly, Greece.
Kyriakos Martinos Petropoulakos is a researcher affiliated with the University of Thessaly, Greece, working in the health professions. His research focuses on chronic low back pain, including the measurement of sleep quality, the evaluation of gait and the role of psychological factors in exercise adherence. He is nominated for the Young Researcher Award at the International Academic Achievements & Awards in recognition of his recent peer-reviewed publications [1][2].
Abstract
This article presents the research profile of Kyriakos Martinos Petropoulakos, a health professions researcher at the University of Thessaly, in connection with the Young Researcher Award. His work addresses measurement quality and clinical assessment in patients with chronic low back pain, including validation of the Greek version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [1], evaluation of a low-cost camera-based gait assessment method [2], and analysis of psychological factors related to exercise adherence [3].
Keywords
Chronic low back pain, sleep quality, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, gait analysis, exercise adherence, psychological factors, validity and reliability, health professions.
Introduction
Chronic non-specific low back pain is a common musculoskeletal condition, and its assessment depends on tools that are valid, reliable and suited to the language and setting of the patient. Petropoulakos’s publications contribute to this need by testing assessment instruments and examining factors that influence rehabilitation outcomes. His Scopus author record lists two indexed documents and 28 citations [4], and his ORCID record lists further work [5].
Research Profile
Petropoulakos is affiliated with the University of Thessaly in Greece, and his subject area is health professions. His Scopus Author ID is 58087418700, and the profile reports two documents, 28 citations and an h-index of 2 [4]. His work is conducted with collaborators and covers three main themes:
- Psychometric validation of patient-reported outcome measures
- Low-cost technology for clinical gait evaluation
- Psychological determinants of exercise adherence
Research Contributions
In sleep research, Petropoulakos and co-authors examined the validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain, supporting its use in Greek-speaking clinical populations [1].
In movement assessment, the research team studied the reliability and applicability of a low-cost, camera-based gait evaluation method intended for clinical use, which may widen access to objective gait measurement [2].
In rehabilitation, a further study investigated baseline psychological factors and their relationship to subsequent exercise adherence in individuals with chronic low back pain [3].
Publications
- Petropoulakos, K., Papakonstantinou, V., Pentsi, S., Souzou, E., Dimitriadis, Z., et al. (2024). Validity and reliability of the Greek version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in chronic non-specific low back pain patients. Healthcare, 12(5), 557. [1]
- Spanos, S., Kanellopoulos, A., Petropoulakos, K., Dimitriadis, Z., Siasios, I., et al. (2023). Reliability and applicability of a low-cost, camera-based gait evaluation method for clinical use. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 20(1), 63–70. [2]
- Baseline psychological factors and subsequent exercise adherence in individuals with chronic low back pain. Healthcare, 14(21), 3799. [3]
Research Impact
The Scopus record reports 28 citations across two documents and an h-index of 2, a notable figure for an early-career researcher [4]. The publications address clinical questions of practical value, including validated language-specific instruments, accessible gait assessment technology and strategies for supporting exercise adherence in patients with chronic pain.
Award Suitability
Petropoulakos is considered suitable for the Young Researcher Award on the following grounds:
- Early-career publications in peer-reviewed international journals [1][2]
- Measurable citation impact relative to the size of the publication record [4]
- Clinical relevance to chronic low back pain assessment and rehabilitation
- Collaborative authorship within a health professions research group
Conclusion
Kyriakos Martinos Petropoulakos has developed a focused research profile centered on the assessment and rehabilitation of chronic low back pain. His validation, gait evaluation and adherence studies illustrate a developing contribution to clinical practice, and his nomination for the Young Researcher Award recognizes the quality and relevance of this early work [1][3].
External Links
References
- Petropoulakos, K., Papakonstantinou, V., Pentsi, S., Souzou, E., Dimitriadis, Z., et al. (2024). Validity and reliability of the Greek version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in chronic non-specific low back pain patients. Healthcare, 12(5), 557.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38470668/
- Spanos, S., Kanellopoulos, A., Petropoulakos, K., Dimitriadis, Z., Siasios, I., et al. (2023). Reliability and applicability of a low-cost, camera-based gait evaluation method for clinical use. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 20(1), 63–70.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36662510/
- Baseline psychological factors and subsequent exercise adherence in individuals with chronic low back pain. Healthcare, 14(21), 3799.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/14/21/3799
- Elsevier. (n.d.). Scopus author details: Kyriakos Martinos Petropoulakos, Author ID 58087418700. Scopus.
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=58087418700
- ORCID. (n.d.). Kyriakos Martinos Petropoulakos (ORCID iD 0000-0002-0359-6730). ORCID.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0359-6730