About
Introduction
My scientific career focuses on imaging and treatment of tendon injuries. In 2010, I successfully defended my PhD thesis on imaging and treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy. The findings had major impact on daily clinical practice of physicians working in musculoskeletal medicine and resulted in a JAMA publication with >400 citations. During my residency Sports Medicine from 2010 to 2014, I continued to perform research in this field. I also performed a clinical fellowship at the leading Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports medicine hospital (Doha,Qatar). In this leading IOC-research centre, I participated in study projects on muscle injuries and chronic tendon injuries. In July 2014, I was appointed as a scientific researcher at the department of Orthopedics and Sports medicine at the Erasmus MC. I participate in several national and international scientific advisory boards. Currently, I am supervising 4 PhD students on projects related to prevention and treatment of sports injuries. I am also leading an international consensus process on outcome measures in Achilles tendinopathy. I have published more than 50 international peer-reviewed scientific articles and have been assigned as Associate professor in 2021 at the Erasmus MC.
At the Erasmus MC, I am coordinator of the Academic Tendon Clinic
Education and career
During my sports medicine training, I performed two years of basic clinical training in orthopedics, emergency medicine, general surgery, cardiology, pulmonology and general medical practice in Medical Centre Haaglanden. Subsequently, I had 18 months of sports medicine training in Medical Centre Haaglanden at the sports medicine outpatient department. During my clinical fellowship at the Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine hospital in Doha, Qatar, I had athlete care responsibilities in the sports medicine outpatient department and screening department for 6 months. Since July 2014, I was appointed as a scientific researcher at the department of Orthopedics and Sports medicine at the Erasmus MC. Currently, I am supervising 4 PhD students on projects related to prevention and treatment of sports injuries.
Publications
Teaching activities
As a sports medicine physician, I provide clinical training for students physiotherapy, masters sports physiotherapy, medical students, medical interns and registrars in orthopedic surgery at the Erasmus MC University Medical Centre. I am coordinator of the Minor ‘Orthopedic Sports Traumatology’, which is a 10-week course for bachelor students medicine and clinical technology. I have responsibility for clinical courses and examinations for sports medicine registrars on tendon injuries for the National Institute of Sports Medicine (NIOS). I also provide annual clinical training programs for registrars general medical practice. In 2015, I worked as a sports physician in general medical practice, with the aim to improve the clinical skills of general practitioners in musculoskeletal care. This healthcare innovation project (“meekijkconsult”) was covered by the large Dutch medical journal “Medisch contact”. I prepared an accredited BMJ Learning Module on Chronic pain in the Achilles region. I also recorded two British Journal of Sports Medicine Podcast interviews on treatment of tendon and muscle injuries. I provided two workshops on management of tendon injuries for (para)medical sports medicine healthcare providers at one of the largest sports medicine conferences (the Danish Sportskongres 2020).
Other positions
Current research projects
The next step towards the prevention of running related injuries (SPRINT trial)
Platelet Rich plasma Injection Management for Ankle osteoarthritis study (PRIMA trial)
Research on molecUlar and Biomechanical Interactions in CONnective tissue disorders (RUBICON trial)Treatment of Achilles tendinopathy – a living systematic review and network meta-analysis
Finalized research projects
High-volume injection therapy in chronic midportion Achilles Tendinopathy HAT trial
Preventing injuries in runners with Evidence-Based tailored online advice INSPIRE trial
Exercise therapy for patellar tendinopathy evaluated with advanced UTE-MRI JUMPER trial (English) or JUMPER project (Nederlands)
