Musculoskeletal and sports health

Musculoskeletal conditions and sport-related injuries affect people of all ages across the lifespan, from childhood to older age. They range from those conditions that come on suddenly and are short-lived (such as fractures, sprains and strains) through to long-term conditions such as chronic low back pain, neck pain and osteoarthritis.

Approximately 1.7 billion people worldwide live with musculoskeletal conditions, including low back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis and other conditions. There is an enormous societal impact of musculoskeletal problems on both healthcare costs, and work absenteeism and productivity.

The RCSI School of Physiotherapy musculoskeletal and sports health cluster research focusses on improving people’s musculoskeletal health and optimising sports performance through injury prevention and management, by preventing the onset of musculoskeletal pain, minimising the impact of musculoskeletal and sport-related conditions, and long-term negative impacts on function and quality of life. We also aim to improve the quality of delivery of care within the health system. We particularly focus on the role of physiotherapy, including exercise, physical activity and education, to empower people in the management of their musculoskeletal and sport health.

Meet our researchers

Principal Investigators

• Prof. Helen French (cluster lead)   
• Louise Keating
• Prof. Suzanne McDonough
• Dr Grace O’Malley

Current postgraduate researchers

• Dr Sania Almousa
• Jennifer Ashton     
• Rachel Broe     
• Dr Clair Haseldine     
• Dr Aoife Stephenson
• Prof. Michael Thacker

Current postgraduate students

• Fiona Callan – Musculoskeletal triage
• Francis Harrigan – Neck strength and concussion in rugby
• Elaine Hopkins – Outcomes of major trauma
• Madhav Kumar UdayasankarMythilibai – Rotator cuff disorders
• Nicola Sheridan – Paediatric return to sport

RCSI collaborators

• Prof. Kathleen Bennett
• Dr Fiona Boland
• Prof. Ciaran Bolger
• Dr Barbara Clyne
• Prof. Frank Doyle
• Prof. Jan Sorenson

Linked research groups and projects

• ENACt: Management of osteoarthritis in primary care in Ireland 
• LEAP-Ireland: Education and exercise intervention for gluteal tendinopathy in an Irish setting
• MAINTAIN: Exploring how to maintain physical activity in people with long-term health conditions
• SCRUm study: Training load and injury risk in Leinster schoolboys’ rugby
• ConCerv study: Cervical spine focused treatment for patients with concussion symptoms and neck pain – a feasibility randomised controlled trial 
• Musculoskeletal health in paediatric obesity
• MSK ACCESS: Advancing Practice: impact of interface musculoskeletal triage embedded in integrated pathways on access to care, clinical and cost outcomes, and potential for future implementation
• ADvAnced PhysioTherapy in MuSculosKeletal Triage (ADAPT-MSK): Investigating prognostic factors, healthcare utilisation and clinical outcomes