Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis
Exploring the link between sports, injury and osteoarthritis
The Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis is based at the Nottingham Universities Hospitals NHS Trust in conjunction with the Universities of Oxford, Southampton, Bath, Loughborough and Leeds.
The consortium is strengthened by several international collaborators, utilising expertise from Sweden, The Netherlands, Australia and USA.
This centre brings together experts in sports medicine and osteoarthritis, to understand the relationship between exercise, sport, injury, rehabilitation and osteoarthritis.
Research at this centre is focussed on gaining better insight into the development of osteoarthritis following sport and exercise injury and the risk factors associated with this. The research aims to provide everyday exercisers, recreational sportsmen and sportswomen, and elite athletes with up to date, evidence-based advice and information about taking part in sport and exercise so they can reduce their risk of injury and development of osteoarthritis.
This centre first opened in 2013 and was renewed for a second term of five years in 2018. The centre completed its ‘Impact’ phase in 2025.
Arthritis UK Biomechanics and Bioengineering Research Centre Impact Report
For many years, we’ve known that mechanical loading and inflammation contribute to osteoarthritis but the biological processes that link these factors were unknown. The impact of joint injury and joint surgery on our biomechanics and biology, and subtleties in gait or alignment that could contribute to long-term disease, was also unclear. Until now.