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Matt Fernandez

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), The University of Sydney

Master of Chiropractic, Macquarie University

Bachelor of Sport Science, UNSW

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Professional Memberships​

ESSA - Exercise & Sport Science Australia

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Moffat Beach Chiro​

Patients often come to see Matt when they want a careful assessment and clear, practical explanations. He works with people who are in pain, unsure what’s going on, and looking for a calm, common‑sense plan — not a rushed answer or lingering uncertainty. His focus is on helping you understand what’s happening, what matters most right now, and how to move forward with confidence.

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Why Matt' background matters for your care

Matt is a chiropractor and exercise physiologist with over 20 years of clinical experience, working with a wide range of people — from children to older adults, and from everyday back pain to more complex or persistent conditions.

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That experience matters because it improves clinical judgement, pattern recognition, and safety. He's seen what tends to settle quickly, what takes time, and when a different approach is needed.

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Alongside clinical practice, Matt is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Course (Chiropractic) at CQUniversity, where he teaches and supervises future chiropractors. This means he spends a lot of time explaining complex ideas clearly - a skill that translates directly into better, more useful conversations with patients.

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Matt also has a background in exercise physiology, which allows care to include movement and exercise when appropriate - not as a one‑size‑fits‑all program, but as part of a tailored plan.

Experience across sport and everyday life

Over the years, Matt has worked with elite and professional athletes, including Olympic‑level swimmers and professional football teams such as the West Tigers.

That experience informs how he approaches load, recovery, flare‑ups, and return to activity - but the same principles apply whether you’re training hard or simply trying to get through the day with less pain.

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Evidence‑informed care at Moffat Beach Chiro

Matt completed a PhD at the University of Sydney and remains actively involved in research and teaching. For patients, that doesn’t mean academic explanations - it means:

  • Avoiding fear‑based language 

  • Recommendations that are guided by what’s appropriate for you, not a fixed formula

  • A focus on what actually changes outcomes - reassurance, movement, and practical steps

  • If your presentation would be better managed elsewhere, Matt will tell you.

The goal is not to chase scans or labels, but to help you feel informed, supported, and confident in your recovery.

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Outside the clinic

Outside of work, Matt enjoys long‑distance open water swimming, including events such as the Bondi‑to‑Watsons Bay Swim, the Rottnest Channel Swim, and the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. It keeps him active and is a good reminder of what it feels like to train, adapt, and recover over time.

Image by Reinis Birznieks

Research profile

Matt completed his PhD at the University of Sydney, focused on understanding back pain, sciatica, and how these conditions interact with broader health factors such as sleep, mental health, and cardiovascular events.

 

His research explored why back and leg pain can be persistent, fluctuate over time, and affect people differently - and how advice, physical activity, and surgery can play an important role in recovery. Moreover, this work highlighted that back pain can interact with broader health factors such as sleep disturbance, depression and anxiety, and cardiovascular health, reinforcing the importance of a whole‑person approach to care.

Today, Matt’s research and teaching inform a measured, evidence‑based approach to care. This means considering lifestyle factors such as physical activity and mental health alongside hands‑on treatment, and avoiding fear‑based explanations or unnecessary interventions.

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Matt continues to publish, teach, and present internationally, helping shape modern, evidence‑based musculoskeletal practice - with the goal of translating research into clear, practical care for patients.

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Google Scholar Profile

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ORCID Profile

Publications

Most recent first

  1. Fernandez M, Seiler S. Bridging the activation gap: a physical activity intensity scale informed by elite athletes yet inclusive for musculoskeletal pain patients. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 2025 Nov 27;7:1641818.

  2. Fernandez M, Di K, Pinheiro M, de Luca K, Hebert J, Stilwell P. “Guidelines… yeah, they just haven’t felt relevant to me.” A qualitative exploration of chiropractors’ perspectives on physical activity promotion. Journal of back and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. 2025:10538127251350848.

  3. Fernandez M, Lees D, de Luca K, Dane D, Stilwell P, McKenna L, Tampin B, Bulsara C, Pincus T, Kendell M. ‘Before and After’. The Journey of Patients With Low Back Pain Consulting in Elective Spine Surgery Clinics. A Qualitative Study Protocol. Health Expectations. 2025 Jun;28(3).

  4. Fernandez M, de Luca K, Stanton R, Alley S, Serpiello F, Vandelanotte C. All the right moves: physical activity promotion for people with musculoskeletal pain. Br J Sports Med 2025;0:1–3. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2024-108941.

  5. Chang HH, de Luca K, Fernandez M, Quinton A. Public perception of chiropractic in the Taiwanese population: a cross-sectional survey. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2025 Mar 11;33(1):11.

  6. Fernandez M, de Luca K, Moore C, French SD, Ferreira P, Swain M. Insights into physical activity promotion among Australian chiropractors: a cross-sectional survey. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2024 Jun 14;32(1):22.

  7. Fernandez M, Young A, Milton K, Pinhiero M, de Luca K, Ferreira P, Hebert J. Physical activity promotion in chiropractic: a systematic review of clinician-based surveys. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2022 Dec;30(1):1-3.

  8. Fernandez M, Young A, Kongsted A, Hartvigsen J, Barton C, Wallis J, Kent P, Kawchuk G, Jenkins H, Hancock M, French SD. GLA: D® Back Australia: a mixed methods feasibility study for implementation. Chiropractic & manual therapies. 2022 Apr 7;30(1):17.

  9. Hartvigsen J, Kawchuk G, Breen A, De Carvalho D, Eklund A, Fernandez M, Funabashi M, Holmes MM, Johansson MS, de Luca K, Moore C. Leadership and capacity building in chiropractic research: report from the first CARL cohort. Chiropractic & manual therapies. 2021 Dec;29(1):1-5.

  10. Jenkins HJ, Downie AS, Fernandez M, Hancock MJ. Decreasing thoracic hyperkyphosis–Which treatments are most effective? A systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. 2021 Dec 1;56:102438.

  11. Moore C, Whillier S, Funabashi M, De Carvalho D, Adams J, Fernandez M, Giuriato R, Swain M. Chiropractic student diagnosis and management of headache disorders: A survey examining self-perceived preparedness and clinical proficiency. Journal of Chiropractic Education. 2021 Oct 1;35(2):229-41.

  12. Fernandez M, Moore C, Tan J, Lian D, Nguyen J, Bacon A, Christie B, Shen I, Waldie T, Simonet D, Bussières A. Spinal manipulation for the management of cervicogenic headache: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. European Journal of Pain. 2020 Oct;24(9):1687-702.

  13. Fernandez M, Moore C, Peng W, De Luca K, Pohlman KA, Swain M, Adams J. The profile of chiropractors managing patients with low back-related leg pain: analyses of 1907 chiropractors from the ACORN practice-based research network. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2019 Dec;27(1):1-9.

  14. Moore C, de Luca K, Wong AY, Fernandez M, Swain M, Hartvigsen J, Adams J, Peng W. Characteristics of chiropractors who manage people aged 65 and older: A nationally representative sample of 1903 chiropractors. Australasian Journal on Ageing. 2019 Dec;38(4):249-57.

  15. De Luca K, Wong A, Eklund A, Fernandez M, Byles JE, Parkinson L, Ferreira ML, Hartvigsen J. Multisite joint pain in older Australian women is associated with poorer psychosocial health and greater medication use. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2019 Dec;27(1):1-9.

  16. Fernandez M, Moore C, Eklund A, Swain M, de Luca K, Sibbritt D, Adams J, Peng W. The prevalence and determinants of physical activity promotion by Australian chiropractors: a cross-sectional study. Complementary therapies in medicine. 2019 Aug 1;45:172-8.

  17. Adams J, Kawchuk G, Breen A, De Carvalho D, Eklund A, Fernandez M, Funabashi M, Holmes MM, Johansson MS, de Luca K, Moore C. Leadership and capacity building in international chiropractic research: introducing the chiropractic academy for research leadership (CARL). Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2018 Dec;26(1):1-6.

  18. de Luca KE, Gliedt JA, Fernandez M, Kawchuk G, Swain MS. The identity, role, setting, and future of chiropractic practice: a survey of Australian and New Zealand chiropractic students. Journal of Chiropractic Education. 2018 Oct;32(2):115-25.

  19. Fernandez M, Colodro-Conde L, Hartvigsen J, Ferreira ML, Refshauge KM, Pinheiro MB, Ordoñana JR, Ferreira PH. Chronic low back pain and the risk of depression or anxiety symptoms: insights from a longitudinal twin study. The spine journal. 2017 Jul 1;17(7):905-12.

  20. Fernandez M, Boyle E, Hartvigsen J, Ferreira ML, Refshauge KM, Maher CG, Christensen K, Hopper JL, Ferreira PH. Is this back pain killing me? All‐cause and cardiovascular‐specific mortality in older Danish twins with spinal pain. European Journal of Pain. 2017 May;21(5):938-48.

  21. Fernandez M, Ferreira PH. Acupuncture for sciatica and a comparison with Western Medicine (PEDro synthesis). British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2017 Mar 1;51(6):539-40.

  22. Fernandez M, Ferreira ML, Refshauge KM, Hartvigsen J, Silva IR, Maher CG, Koes BW, Ferreira PH. Surgery or physical activity in the management of sciatica: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Spine Journal. 2016 Nov;25:3495-512.

  23. Fernandez M, Ordoñana JR, Hartvigsen J, Ferreira ML, Refshauge KM, Sánchez-Romera JF, Pinheiro MB, Simpson SJ, Hopper JL, Ferreira PH. Is chronic low back pain associated with the prevalence of coronary heart disease when genetic susceptibility is considered? A co-twin control study of Spanish twins. PLoS One. 2016 May 12;11(5):e0155194.

  24. Hübscher M, Hartvigsen J, Fernandez M, Christensen K, Ferreira P. Does physical activity moderate the relationship between depression symptomatology and low back pain? Cohort and co-twin control analyses nested in the longitudinal study of aging Danish twins (LSADT). European Spine Journal. 2016 Apr;25:1226-33.

  25. Fernandez M, Hartvigsen J, Ferreira ML, Refshauge KM, Machado AF, Lemes ÍR, Maher CG, Ferreira PH. Advice to stay active or structured exercise in the management of sciatica. Spine. 2015 Sep 15;40(18):1457-66.

  26. Fernandez M, Pugh D. Multimodal and interdisciplinary management of an isolated partial tear of the posterior cruciate ligament: a case report. Journal of chiropractic medicine. 2012 Jun 1;11(2):84-93.

  27. Fernandez M, Pollard H, McHardy A. A patient with deep vein thrombosis presenting to a chiropractic clinic: a case report. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics. 2007 Feb 1;30(2):144-51.

  28. McHardy A, Pollard H, Fernandez M. Triathlon injuries: A review of the literature and discussion of potential injury mechanisms. Clinical Chiropractic. 2006 Sep;9(3):129-38.

  29. Pollard H, Fernandez M. Spinal musculoskeletal injuries associated with swimming: a discussion of technique. Australasian Chiropractic & Osteopathy. 2004 Nov;12(2):72.

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