R. (Rik) Molenaars, PhD

The desire to align my PhD work with a deepening of my understanding of the United States’ fascinating sports culture led me to MGH’s Sports Medicine Center in Boston in 2017. In close collaboration with the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (OLVG, Amsterdam), Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amphia Hospital (Breda), and the Erasmus Medical Center (Rotterdam), I delved into ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries of the elbow in overhead athletes.

My PhD thesis provides a deeper appreciation of the beautiful act of throwing and contributes to our understanding of the pathogenesis and prevention of throwing-related elbow injuries. It covers these topics from a broad perspective, touching upon contemporary concepts in sports physiotherapy and movement sciences, and discusses how emerging findings translate to our European perspective on UCL injuries.

I am currently finishing my residency in sports medicine at the Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital in Nijmegen.