My most recent PhD student, Catherine Payne, completed her thesis on the use of ultrasound elastography in the Achilles tendon to measure the biomechanical properties of the tissue over the course of a rehabilitation program. Following on from the multiple validation studies already been published (see refs), this ground-breaking research has been well received in the tendon research community internationally. Catherine presented at an international conference in September and 2-3 further journal publications are anticipated over the coming year. Further collaborative research with the school of the Podiatry using this tool for assessment of gout in the Achilles tendon commenced this year with Simon Otter.  Another internal collaboration included the School of Architecture and Design with students designing and creating protective wear for one of the ParalympicsGB alpine skiers used at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) research bursary award for £13,940 for work on Interoception as a Marker of Sensitivity to Exercise in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)  with my colleague Nick Smeeton. 

As a team physician with the British Paralympic Association I became interested in the area of illness and injury prevention from a practical perspective but this later became my research focus after joining the International Paralympic Committee’s Medical Committee in 2001. In 2002 I undertook the first injury survey at a Paralympic Games and now sixteen years on continue this with an international group of researchers and I am recognised as the most widely published author in the area of Paralympic Sports Medicine worldwide.  This includes being noted as the only sports medicine doctor in the top five of most cited authors in the area of Disability Sport research (Khoo S, Li C, Ansari P. The Top 50 Most Cited Publications in Disability Sport: A Bibliometric Analysis. Percept Mot Skills [Internet]. 2018;125(3):525–45. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0031512518760350).  I have now attended ten Paralympic Games with the momentum for research in this area extending into many different and more sport specific areas which are more amenable to research funding.  The IPC Medical Committee has now been recognised by the IOC Medical and Scientific Department as a very reputable and credible group and received $100k last year for an ongoing project on the shoulder in wheelchair athletes for which the University of Brighton should soon receive $20k.  This year a separate application was made directly from the University of Brighton for $100k for research into injuries in Blind Football which has support from the international federation (IBSA) and the IPC. The next phase planned is a Wellcome Trust bid with partners at Harvard University (US), Stellnbosch (SA) and Lund University (SWE) which is under preparation.

My work in the area of thermoregulation in athletes with spinal cord injury has often been in partnership with Prof Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey, Professor in Applied Disability Sport and Director of the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport at Loughborough University.  We have collaborated on a variety of projects over a 20+ year period and in August 2018 I was appointed as Honorary Clinical Professor in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University to further the research collaboration.

Research Outputs

Authored books:

Webborn, A.D.J. Exercise on Prescription GP Referral Schemes - Handbook for General Practitioners. East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority, 1996 ISBN 1 899 063 021.

Academic journal papers (refereed):

1. Payne C, Watt P, Webborn N. Shear Wave Elastography Measures of the Achilles Tendon: Influence of Time of Day, Leg Dominance and the Impact of an Acute 30-Minute Bout of Running. Appl Sci [Internet]. 2018 Jul 18 [cited 2018 Sep 6];8(7):1170. Available from: http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/8/7/1170
2. Grobler L, Derman W, Blauwet CA, Chetty S, Webborn N, Pluim B. Pain Management in Athletes With Impairment. Clin J Sport Med [Internet]. 2018 May 16 [cited 2018 Jul 8];1.
3. Tuakli-Wosornu Y, Mashkovskiy E, Ottesen T, Gentry M, Jensen D, Webborn N. 2018. “Acute and Chronic Musculoskeletal Injury in Para Sport.” Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America29(2):205–43.
4. Kissick, James and Nick Webborn. 2018. “Concussion in Para Sport.” Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America29(2):299–311.
5. Janse Van Rensburg, Dina Christina, Martin Schwellnus, Wayne Derman, and Nick Webborn. 2018. “Illness Among Paralympic Athletes.” Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America29(2):185–203.
6. Warner MB, Wilson D, Heller MO, et al.Scapular kinematics in professional wheelchair tennis players. Clin Biomech2018;53:7–13. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2018.01.022
7. Derman W, Blauwet C, Webborn N, et al.Mitigating risk of injury in alpine skiing in the Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games: the time is now! Br J Sports Med2018;52:419–20. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-098864 
8.  Payne C, Watt P, Cercignani M, Webborn N. Reproducibility of shear wave elastography measures of the Achilles tendon. Skeletal Radiol [Internet]. 2018 Jun 19 [cited 2018 Jul 8];47(6):779–84. 
9. Smith AD, Alleyne JMK, Pitsiladis Y, Schneider, C, Kenihan, M, Constantinou D, Webborn, N. Early Sports Specialization: An International Perspective. Curr Sports Med Rep 2017;16. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000425
10. Derman W, Schwellnus MP, Jordaan E, Runciman P, Blauwet C, Webborn N, et al. Sport, sex and age increase risk of illness at the Rio 2016 Summer Paralympic Games: a prospective cohort study of 51 198 athlete days. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(1).
11. Derman, W., Runciman, P., Schwellnus, M., Jordaan, E., Blauwet, C., Webborn, N., Stomphorst, J. (2017). High precompetition injury rate dominates the injury profile at the Rio 2016 Summer Paralympic Games: a prospective cohort study of 51198 athlete days. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Jan;52(1):24-31. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-09803
12. Webborn N, Blauwet CA, Derman W, et al. Heads up on concussion in para sport. Br J Sports Med Published Online First: 10 July 2017. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-097236
13. Payne C, Webborn N, Watt P, et al.Poor reproducibility of compression elastography in the Achilles tendon: same day and consecutive day measurements. Skeletal Radiol2017;:1–7. doi:10.1007/s00256-017-2629-
14. W. Derman, M. P. Schwellnus, E. Jordaan, P. Runciman, P. Van de Vliet, C. Blauwet, N. Webborn, S. Willick, and J. Stomphorst, “High incidence of injury at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games: a prospective cohort study of 6564 athlete days,” Br. J. Sports Med., p. bjsports–2016–096214, Jun. 2016.
15. W. Derman, M. P. Schwellnus, E. Jordaan, P. Runciman, P. Van de Vliet, C. Blauwet, N. Webborn, S. Willick, and J. Stomphorst, “The incidence and patterns of illness at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games: a prospective cohort study of 6564 athlete days,”Br. J. Sports Med., p. bjsports–2016–096215, May 2016.
16. The Road to Rio: Medical and Scientific Perspectives on the 2016 Paralympic Games. Blauwet CA, Lexell J, Derman W, Idrisova G, Kissick J, Stomphorst J, Wosornu YT, Van de Vliet P, Webborn N. PM R. 2016 Jul 16. pii: S1934-1482(16)30258-1
17. Morton S, Chan O, Webborn N, et al.Tears of the fascia cruris demonstrate characteristic sonographic features: a case series analysis. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J;5:299–304. 2016 
18. Pitsiladis YP, Tanaka M, Eynon N, et al.Athlome project consortium: A concerted effort to discover genomic and other ‘omic’ markers of athletic performance. Physiol Genomics2016;48. doi:10.1152/physiolgenomics.00105.2015
19. Blauwet CA, Cushman D, Emery C, et al. Risk of Injuries in Paralympic Track and Field Differs by Impairment and Event Discipline: A Prospective Cohort Study at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Am J Sports Med Published Online First: 26 February 2016. doi:10.1177/0363546516629949
20. Webborn N, Morrissey D, Sarvananthan K, et al. Acute tear of the fascia cruris at the attachment to the Achilles tendon: a new diagnosis Br J Sports Med 2015;49:1398-1403.
21. Webborn N, Williams A, McNamee M, et al.Direct-to-consumer genetic testing for predicting sports performance and talent identification: Consensus statement. Br J Sports Med2015;49:1486–91. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-095343
22. Webborn N, Cushman D, Blauwet CA, Emery C, Derman W, Schwellnus M, Stomphorst J, Van de Vliet P, Willick SE. The Epidemiology of Injuries in Football at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. PM&R 2016 Jun;8(6):545-52. doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.09.025.
23. Willick SE, Cushman D, Blauwet CA, Webborn N, Derman W, Emery C, Schwellnus M. The Epidemiology of Injuries in Paralympic Powerlifting at the London 2012 Paralympic Games: an analysis of 1411 athlete-days. Scand J Med Sci Sports. ePub ahead of print. PMID 26453890.
24. Webborn N, Dijkstra HP. Twenty-first century genomics for sports medicine: what does it all mean? Br J Sports Med2015;49:1481–2. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-095643
25. Combes A, Dekerle J, Webborn N, Watt P, Bougault V & Daussin FN. Exercise-induced metabolic fluctuations influence AMPK, p38-MAPK and CaMKII phosphorylation in human skeletal muscle. Physiol Rep. 2015 Sep;3(9). doi: 10.14814/phy2.12462.
26. Taylor L, Mauger AR, Watkins SL, Fitch N, Brewer J, Maxwell NS, Webborn N, Castle PC. Precooling Does Not Improve 2000 m Rowing Performance Of Females In Hot, Humid Conditions. J Strength Cond Res. 2014 Jun 6
27. Webborn N, Walter E, Venn, Galloway R & Pitsiladis Y. Exertional Heat Stroke - Supplement for athletes with a disability. Position statement of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine. http://www.fsem.co.uk/news/position-statements/e/exertional-heat-stroke-supplement-for-athletes-with-a-disability.aspx September 2014
28. Webborn N. London 2012 Paralympic Games: bringing sight to the blind? Br J Sports Med. 2013; 47: 402-403  
29. Willick S, Webborn N, Emery CA, Blauwet C, Pitt-Grosheide P, Stomphorst J, Van de Vliet P, Patino Marques NA, Martinez-Ferrer JO, Jordaan E, Derman W, Schwellnus M. The epidemiology of injuries at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Br J Sports Med. 2013; 47: 426-432
30. Schwellnus M, Derman W, Jordaan E, Blauwet C, Emery C, Pit-Grosheide P, Patino Marques N, Martinez-Ferrer O, Stomphorst J, Van de Vliet P, Webborn N, Willick S. Factors associated with illness in athletes participating in the London 2012 Paralympic Games: a prospective cohort study involving 49 910 athlete-days. Br J Sports Med 2013; 47: 433-440
31. Schwellnus M, Derman W, Jordaan E, Blauwet C, Emery C, Pit-Grosheide P, Patino Marques N, Martinez-Ferrer O, Stomphorst J, Van de Vliet P, Webborn N, Willick S. Illness and injury in athletes during the competition period at the London 2012 Paralympic Games: development and implementation of a web-based surveillance system (WEB-IISS) for team medical staff. Br J Sports Med 2013; 47: 420-425
32. Watura C, Barton C, Webborn N, Maffulli N, & Morrissey D. Sports injuries at the Olympics: a review of incidence related data from past games and the implications for future multi-sport events. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(17), 2013
33. Castle PC, Kularatne BP, Brewer J, Mauger AR, Austen RA, Tuttle JA, Sculthorpe N, Mackenzie RW, Maxwell NS, Webborn AD. Partial heat acclimation of athletes with spinal cord lesion. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2012 May 17. 
34. Webborn N. Lifetime injury prevention: the sport profile model. Br J Sports Med. 2012 Jan 4.
35. Webborn N, Van de Vliet P. Paralympic medicine. The Lancet. 2012;380 (9836):65-71
36. Webborn N, Willick S, Emery CA. The Injury Experience at the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games. Clin J Sport Med. 2012 Jan;22(1):3-9.
37. Castle P, Mackenzie RW, Maxwell N, Webborn AD & Watt PW. (2011) Heat acclimation improves intermittent sprinting in the heat but additional pre-cooling offers no further ergogenic effect. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29 (11). pp. 1125-1134
38. Etheridge, T, Atherton, P.J., Wilkinson, D.J., Selby, A., Rankin, D., Webborn, N, Smith, K and Watt, P. (2011) Effects of hypoxia on muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and anabolic signaling at rest and in response to acute resistance exercise Endocrinology and Metabolism, 301 (4)
39. Webborn, N. "What Do You Mean, A Wheelchair Athlete?" Current Sports Medicine Reports: September/October 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 5 - pp 246-247 
40. Webborn, N., M. J. Price, et al. (2010). "Cooling strategies improve intermittent sprint performance in the heat of athletes with tetraplegia." British Journal of Sports Medicine 44(6): 455-460.
41. Bhambhani, Y., J. Mactavish, et al. (2010). "Boosting in athletes with high-level spinal cord injury: knowledge, incidence and attitudes of athletes in paralympic sport." Disability & Rehabilitation 2010;32(26):2172-90.
42. Webborn, A, Watt, P & Castle, P. The Use Of Diagnostic Ultrasound To Evaluate The Optimum Depth For Muscle Biopsy Of The Vastus Lateralis Muscle Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: May 2009 - Volume 41 - Issue 5 - p 204
43. Webborn, A. D. J. 'Novel approaches to tendinopathy', Disability & Rehabilitation, Volume 30, Issue 20 - 22 2008 , pages 1572 - 1577 
44. John W Orchard, Thomas M Best, Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt, Glenn Hunter, Bruce H Hamilton, Nick Webborn, Rod Jaques, Dean Kenneally, Richard Budgett, Nicola Phillips, Caryl Becker, and Philip Glasgow The early management of muscle strains in the elite athlete: best practice in a world with a limited evidence basis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, Mar 2008; 42: 158 - 159. 
45. Castle, P, MacDonald, A, Philp, A, Webborn, A, Watt, P and Maxwell, N.  Precooling leg muscle improves intermittent sprint exercise performance in hot, humid conditions. Journal of Applied Physiology, 100 (4). pp. 1377-1384,2006. 
46. Webborn, N., Willick S. and Reeser, J. C. Injuries among disabled athletes during the 2002 Winter Paralympic Games. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38 (5). pp. 811-815, 2006
47. V Goosey-Tolfrey, P Castle, and N Webborn Aerobic capacity and peak power output of elite quadriplegic games players British Journal of Sports Medicine, Aug 2006; 40: 684 - 687.
48. Webborn, N., et al., The effect of two cooling strategies on thermoregulatory responses of tetraplegic athletes during repeated intermittent exercise in the heat. J Appl Physiol, 2005: p. 00784.2004.
49. Castle P, Wragg C, Spencer M, McNaught-Davis P, Webborn N and Maxwell N.  Bias and limits of agreement between rectal and telemetry pill measurement of core temperature in humans, during intermittent sprint exercise while under heat stress. Poster presentation - 7th Congress of the International Society for Adaptive Medicine, 20-23 August, 2003, University of California, San Diego. 
50. Webborn, N. "Caution re take home messages." British Journal of Sports Medicine 37(2): 187, 2003
51. Webborn, A.D.J. Medical considerations associated with travelling with athletes with disabilities. Your Patient and Fitness, 14 (1), 10-16, 2000
52. Craig A, Dinan S, Smith A, Taylor A, Webborn N. The Newcastle exercise project. National quality assurance framework will guide best value and practice in GP exercise referral schemes [letter]. British Medical Journal 2000;320(7247):1474.
53. Webborn, A.D.J. Fifty years of competitive sport for athletes with disabilities: 1948-1998. British Journal of Sports Medicine 33(2): 138, 1999.
54. Webborn, A.D.J. ‘Boosting’ performance in disability sport.   British Journal of Sports Medicine 33(2): 74-75, 1999
55. Webborn, A.D.J. Evaluation of physical activity. [Letter]. British Journal of Sports Medicine 33(2): 141, 1999.
56. Webborn, A.D.J.  Foot injury - tennis, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise - Vol. 31 (5) supp., 342, 1999.
57. Bailey, M., Webborn, A.D.J., James, D. Validation of predicted oxygen uptake for a submaximal treadmill protocol used within GP referral schemes  Journal of Sport Sciences 16 (1):  35, 1998.
58. Taylor, A.H. Doust, J.D., Webborn, N. Randomised controlled trial of exercise on prescription scheme.  Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 52:595-601, 1998.
59. Webborn, A.D.J., R.J. Carbon & B.P. Miller.  Injury rehabilitation programs: "What are we talking about?" Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 6, 54-61, 1997.
60. British Journal of Therapy & Rehabilitation Vol. 4 (5), 226-227, 1997. 
61. Webborn, A.D.J. Sports, Spondylolysis, and Spondylolisthesis[Letter].  Physician and Sportsmedicine. 25(1):16, 1997. 
62. Webborn, A.D.J. Sinus Tarsi Syndrome Case presentation, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise - Vol. 29 (5) supp., 300, 1997.  
63. Webborn, A.D.J. General practitioner knowledge of prohibited substances in sport.[Letter]. British Journal of Sports Medicine 31(3):259, 1997.
64. Webborn, A.D.J. Exercise prescription in primary care.[Letter]. British Journal of General Practice 47:526-527, 1997.
65. HALO - A protocol for  collaboration in Exercise on Prescription between Practices and Leisure Centres in East Sussex. Ver 2.0 - 1996. East Sussex,Brighton and Hove Health Authority. ISBN 1 899063 013 - Editor Dr.A.D.J.Webborn .
66. Webborn, A.D.J. Systematic review of physical activity promotion strategies.[Letter]. British Journal of Sports Medicine 30(3):268, 1996.
67. Webborn, A.D. Prescribing exercise in general practice. Scheme in East Sussex has a database [letter; comment].British Medical Journal309(6963):1229-1230, 1994. 
68. Webborn, A.D.J. Heat-related problems for the Paralympic Games, Atlanta 1996. British Journal of Therapy & Rehabilitation Vol. 3 (8), 429-436, 1996.
69. Webborn, A.D.J. Role of a Medical Officer for the British Paralympic Association.  Physiotherapy in Sport. Volume XVIII,3, 17-18. 1995.
70. Webborn, A.D.J. Exercise, health and prescription exercise - implications for fundholding practices. National Association of Fundholding Practices Yearbook. 228-231, 1995

Chapters in edited books

1. Webborn, Nick.  Sport, Exercise and Disability, in ABC of Sports Medicine 4th edition, p89-92, 2015, Wiley-Blackwell, London. 
2. Nick Webborn and Larissa Trease, 'The athlete with a disability'. p.960-971 in Clinical Sports Medicine, Edited by: Brukner P and  Kahn K, 2006 McGraw-Hill, 4th Edition 2012 ISBN: 978-0070998131
3. Julian Redhead and Nick Webborn, ‘Athletes with a disability’, p.271-276 in Emergencies in Sports Medicine, Edited by Julian Redhead and Jonathan Gordon. Due 2012 Oxford University Press.
4. Nick Webborn.  ‘The disabled athlete in ball sports’, p.817-830 in Acute and chronic finger injuries in ball sports. Sports and Traumatology (Springer Eds) 2012.
5. Nick Webborn, Disability Sport, p.213-226 in the Oxford Handbook of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Edited by Domhnall MacAuley, 2nd Edition 
6. Nick Webborn & Stuart Willick, Sports Medicine, p.74-78 in The Handbook of Paralympic Sports. The Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine, An IOC Medical Commission Publication. Ed. Vanlandewijck, Y. Blackwell Publishing –2010.
7. Nick Webborn, ‘The travelling athlete’ in Wheelchair Sports p.87-98 Ed. Goosey-Tolfrey V. 2010, Human Kinetics ISBN-13: 978-0736086769 
8. Nick Webborn, Disability Sports, p.436-453 in Sports Injury. Eds. Cathy Speed and Mike Hutson. April 2011 Oxford University Press ISBN13: 9780199533909
9. Nick Webborn, Paralympic Sport in Epidemiology of Injury, p.475-488 In Olympic Sports. Volume XVI of The Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine, An IOC Medical Commission Publication. Eds. Caine, Dennis / Harmer, Peter / Schiff, Melissa. Blackwell Publishing - Oct 2009 ISBN: 9781405173643
10. Nick Webborn and Victoria Goosey-Tolfrey. Spinal Cord Injury in Exercise Physiology in Special Populations, p. 309-334  Ed. Buckley J,2008  Churchill Livingstone ISBN: 9780443103438
11. Nick Webborn, 'The disabled athlete', p.778-786 in Clinical Sports Medicine, Edited by: Brukner P and  Kahn K, McGraw-Hill, 3rd Edition 2007 ISBN: 0074715208
12. Nick Webborn, A Neuropathic model to the etiology and management of Achilles tendinopathy, p.145-159  in Tendinopathy in Athletes, Volume XII of the Encyclopaedia of Sports Medicine, Edited by: Savio Woo, Per Renstrom and Steven Arnoczky, 2007 Blackwell Publishing ISBN: 9781405156707
13. Nick Webborn, Disability Sport, p.657-674 in the Oxford Handbook of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Edited by Domhnall MacAuley, 2006 Oxford University Press. ISBN13: 9780198568391
14. Webborn, A.D.J.  Disability Sport, p.107-115 in Essential Sports Medicine, edited by Richard Higgins, Bryan English and Peter Brukner, 2006 Blackwell Publishing, Oxford. ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-1438-7
15. Webborn, A.D.J.  Children and Sport, p.88-96 in Essential Sports Medicine, edited by Richard Higgins, Bryan English and Peter Brukner, 2006 Blackwell Publishing, Oxford. ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-1438-7
16. Webborn, A.D.J.  Sport and Disability, p.76-79 in ABC of Sports Medicine 3rd edition, 2005 BMJ Publishing, London.  ISBN 0-7279-1813-3
17. Webborn, A.D.J.  Sports in children with physical disabilities /Medical problems of disabled child athletes, p. 437-446 in Sports medicine for specific ages and abilities. 2001 Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-4430-6128-9
18. Webborn N, Delivering an exercise prescription for patients with disabilities, p.105-112 in Physical activity for patients: an exercise prescription, 2001 Royal College of Physicians. ISBN 1-86016-128-6
19. Webborn, A.D.J.  Sport and Disability, p.63-67 in ABC of Sports Medicine 2nd edition, 2000 BMJ Publishing, London.  ISBN 0-7279-1366-2

Official Reports:

1. Dept of Health (2001).  Exercise Referral Systems: a National Quality Assurance Framework.  London, Dept of Health. Co-author.
2. Webborn N, Road Races – Medical Aspects of Road Race Organisation and Provision, 2002 National Sports Medicine Institute, London. ISBN 0-9526657-2
3. Department of Culture, Media & Sport (2002). 'Sport in the UK - Improving Safety and Medical provision'London, DCMS. Co-author.
4. ‘At least five a week’ – Evidence of the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health – A report from the Chief Medical Officer. 2004 – Expert reviewer.
5. Boosting in athletes with High Level Spinal cord injury- Incidence, knowledge and attitudes of athletes in Paralympic sport, report for the World Anti-Doping Association 2009 http://www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/Bhambhani_Project_Summary.pdf