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The Peter Harrison Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Fransiska Bossuyt as a Visiting Fellow within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University. This collaboration underscores the university's commitment to advancing research and education in the field of Para and disability Sport.
Dr Bossuyt, a senior researcher at the Laboratory for Movement Biomechanics at the ETH Zurich (Switzerland), is an expert in shoulder health in wheelchair athletes. She is especially interested in the role of scapular kinematics and understanding soft-tissue injuries by studying failure properties and the functional capacity of muscles and tendons and to apply this knowledge to improve injury prevention and treatment options. Dr Bossuyt has made significant contributions to the field with notable collaborations to date with Dr Tom O’Brien and Professor Vicky Tolfrey (Frontiers | Shoulder Tendon Adaptations Following a Graded Exercise Test to Exhaustion in Highly Trained Wheelchair Rugby Athletes With Different Impairments). During her previous visits to Loughborough University, Dr Bossuyt led the collection of quantitative shoulder ultrasound assessments of the shoulder in wheelchair rugby players whilst also delivering insightful presentations on shoulder health (Institute of Advanced Studies). Her work has not only advanced the understanding of athletic performance but also highlighted the injury risks and shoulder tendon adaptations in response to exercise and fatigue.
More recently, in addition to her research, Dr Bossuyt has actively supported teaching activities at Loughborough, particularly with MSc students in Musculoskeletal Sports Science and Health. Her invaluable expertise has enriched the students' learning experience, providing them with exposure to cutting-edge research techniques and enhancing their education in para-sport and rehabilitation.
Dr Tom O’Brien: “We are thrilled to have Fransiska as a visiting fellow at Loughborough within the PHC. It not only strengthens our research capabilities but also enhances the universities reputation as a leading institution in the field of Para and Disability Sport. The continued collaboration with Dr. Bossuyt will provide students and researchers with invaluable opportunities to engage with cutting-edge research and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in this important area”.
Professor Vicky Tolfrey: “It’s a real pleasure to welcome Dr Fransiska Bossuyt as a Visiting Fellow within our School and the Peter Harrison Centre. Having worked closely with her over the years, I’ve seen the passion that she brings to her research, particularly in understanding and protecting the shoulders of wheelchair athletes. Her visits have already made a lasting impression on our students and team, and I’m excited about the insights and energy she brings to our shared mission of advancing Para sport science”.
The collaboration between Dr Bossuyt, Dr O’Brien and Prof Tolfrey has recently extended to longitudinal analysis of shoulder tendon adaptations in elite wheelchair rugby players. This ongoing research is expected to yield exciting results that will further contribute to the field of Para-Sport.