Maike Wochner (left) and Katja Mattes were honoured by the Federal Association of Independent Physical Therapists (IFK e. V.) during Science Day. Photo: private
Double win for HFU students at the 2026 Physical Therapy Research Award
Two awards at the 2026 Science Prize competition organised by the Federal Association of Independent Physical Therapists (IFK e. V.) went to graduates of the Freiburg Study Center at Furtwangen University. With these awards, the expert jury paid tribute to the high scientific quality of two bachelor’s theses from the Physiotherapy programme.
Maike Wochner received the 1st Bachelor’s Prize in the “Clinical/Experimental” category for her thesis “RelaquaMED as an Innovative Therapeutic Approach for Long COVID – Evaluation of the Effects on Fatigue, Sleep Quality and Physical Endurance.” The award-winning bachelor’s thesis examines an innovative therapeutic approach for those with Long COVID and post-COVID syndrome. It provides important scientific insights for the further development and evaluation of new physiotherapy treatment approaches and helps strengthen the evidence base for the care of people who often continue to suffer from fatigue, sleep disturbances and reduced physical endurance long after recovering from COVID-19.
The bachelor’s thesis was written as part of an interdisciplinary research project involving ten researchers from the Institute for Sports and Occupational Medicine at the University Medical Center Freiburg, the Central Institute for Mental Health in Mannheim, the Keidel Therme Freiburg and freediver Nik Linder. The thesis was supervised by HFU Professor Dr. Marie Ottilie Frenkel and Jan-Simon Rentschler.
Even before the awards ceremony, the thesis had already generated significant academic interest. Maike Wochner presented her research findings in an academic talk at the 2026 asp Annual Conference on Sports Psychology in Heidelberg. Together with her advisors, she also led a workshop both in and out of the water, during which the RelaquaMED intervention programme developed in the research project was presented and demonstrated in practice.
In its laudatory speech, the eight-member IFK jury particularly praised the outstanding academic quality of the bachelor’s thesis, “In her thesis, the author demonstrates a particularly high level of methodological competence and statistical understanding that far exceeds what is typically expected at the bachelor’s level.” The award thus underscores not only the graduate’s academic excellence but also the relevance of her research to the further development of evidence-based care for people with long COVID and post-COVID.
Katja Mattes received the Poster Prize for her bachelor’s thesis, “Pain Assessment and Pain Management in Dementia: Challenges and Strategies from the Perspective of Physical Therapists and Caregivers — A Qualitative Analysis.” Dementia not only complicates pain assessment and evaluation, but it is also a risk factor for pain. Katja Mattes’ thesis examines experts’ experiences with assessing pain in those with dementia and impaired communication skills. It concludes with tiered practical recommendations and a clear call for interdisciplinary collaboration. The thesis was supervised by HFU Professor Dr. Angela Dieterich and Kathrin Betting.
The awards were presented during Science Day in early July at Hochschule 21 in Buxtehude. This double award underscores the high quality of physiotherapy training and research at Furtwangen University’s Freiburg Study Center, as well as the strong commitment of the students, their advisors and the participating research partners.