Ernest Schilders, MD, FRCS, FFSEM, FRCR, is an internationally recognised orthopaedic surgeon specialising in minimally invasive hip and groin surgery. He is a leading authority on adductor, inguinal, hamstring, quadriceps and pubic-related groin pain. He has treated elite athletes in the Premier League, Champions League, National Basketball Association (NBA), rugby, tennis, cricket and ice hockey.
A pioneer in groin and adductor surgery, Professor Schilders developed nerve-preserving hamstring procedures, as well as advanced techniques for complex groin injuries. As professor of orthopaedic sports medicine at Leeds Beckett University, he discovered the pyramidalis-anterior pubic ligament-adductor longus complex (PLAC), revolutionising the understanding of groin and core muscle injuries in athletes.
Professor Schilders also developed a unique, anatomy-driven diagnostic workup for groin pain in sport, integrating advanced MRI protocols with surgical innovation. For this groundbreaking work, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal College of Radiologists, a rare distinction for a surgeon.
Professor Schilders' contributions, including selective neurolysis and refined hernia repair, have enabled faster, more-accurate return to play for elite athletes.