Ernest Schilders, MD, FRCS, FFSEM, FRCR

Orthopaedic Surgeon

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Expertise

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.

Conditions treated

  • Adductor avulsions/PLAC/core muscle injuries
  • Complex undiagnosed groin pain or failed groin/hernia surgery
  • Femoroacetabular impingement and labral tears
  • Groin pain in athletes (structural and nerve-related)
  • Hamstring injuries
  • Obturator nerve injuries
  • Rectus femoris injuries
  • Sports hernias

Areas of focus

  • Adductor-related groin pain in athletes
  • Advanced surgical techniques for adductor and PLAC injuries
  • Hip arthroscopy in sports injuries
  • Minimally invasive hip and groin surgery
  • Nerve-preserving hamstring and quadriceps surgery
  • Nerve-related groin pain
  • Rehabilitation and return-to-play strategies in elite athletes
  • Selective neurolysis for conservative management of groin pain
  • Surgical management of sports hernias with the modified minimal repair technique
  • Ultrasound-assisted rectus femoris repair

Education

Professor Schilders graduated as doctor of medicine in 1991 after studies in Antwerp, Belgium, and became a specialist in orthopaedics by ministerial decree in 1996. He completed fellowships in sports medicine and rheumatology in the USA and UK. He has held several academic posts, including full professor in orthopaedic sports medicine at Leeds Beckett University since 2015.

Research

Professor Schilders' research and educational efforts in orthopaedic sports medicine have significantly advanced the understanding of athletic groin pain and core muscle injury, particularly through his pioneering definition of the pyramidalis-anterior pubic ligament-adductor longus complex. His work on adductor avulsions, hamstring biomechanics and return-to-sport protocols continues to shape international sports medicine and surgical practice.

Professor Schilders' research topics also have included innovation in the diagnostic evaluation of groin pain, including the use of selective nerve blocks and development of MRI protocols for athletic groin and adductor injuries.

Honours

  • Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists, the only orthopaedic surgeon worldwide to be awarded this distinction, in recognition of his pioneering work in musculoskeletal imaging and interdisciplinary collaboration
  • Founding Fellow of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, recognised for his instrumental role in the establishment and advancement of sports and exercise medicine as a medical specialty in the UK
  • Clinical Excellence Awards, National Health Service (NHS) UK, which he has received three times for his outstanding contributions to clinical care, innovation and service development during his tenure in the NHS

Professional memberships

  • Member, European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy
  • Member, British Medical Association
  • Member, International Society of Hip Arthroscopy

Languages

  • Dutch
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Italian