Biography
Dr Thomas graduated in Physiotherapy from the University of Liverpool in 2007 and also holds a BSc (Hons) in Human Movement Science (University of Liverpool) and MSc in Sport Psychology (Liverpool John Moores University). Martin came to Keele in 2009 to undertake a doctorate in Clinical Epidemiology. His doctoral studies on the classification, diagnosis and outcomes of midfoot osteoarthritis were awarded the Arthritis Research UK Silver Medal Research Prize in Musculoskeletal Medicine.
Martin works clinically as an Honorary Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist at the Haywood Hospital, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. He is a member of the Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine, by examination.
Research and scholarship
Dr Thomas’ research interests are the clinical epidemiology and primary care management of common musculoskeletal conditions, with a particular interest in osteoarthritis. His primary focus is in leading and developing web-based cohort studies using within-person methodologies to examine flare-ups of osteoarthritis. He also contributes to longitudinal cohort studies and clinical trials of foot osteoarthritis and plantar heel pain. His work has been funded by the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme, School for Primary Care Research and a Health Education England/NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic Clinical Lectureship.
Martin’s current supervision includes PhD, intercalated medical MPhil, Integrated clinical academic physiotherapy and undergraduate clinical physiotherapy students. He developed and runs Keele University’s first pre-registration Integrated Clinical Academic physiotherapy elective student placement. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed publications, held four personal fellowships and contributed to over £800,000 in fellowship/grant income. Martin has current and active research collaborations with researchers in Melbourne, Boston, Oslo and across the UK.
Teaching
Dr Thomas teaches epidemiology within the Masters in Medical Sciences programme. He also facilitates sessions on research methods on the medical school undergraduate curriculum and Keele’s ‘Prognosis Research: Concepts, Methods and Clinical Application’ course.
Further information
Dr Thomas is a previous chair of the Physiotherapy Research Society and is an Editorial Board member of Arthritis Care & Research and Journal of Foot and Ankle Research.
Selected Publications
-
Osteoarthritis Flares. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 239-257, vol. 38(2). link> doi> link> full text>2022.
- 2022.
- 2022.
-
International Foot and Ankle Osteoarthritis Consortium review and research agenda for diagnosis, epidemiology, burden, outcome assessment and treatment. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 945-955, vol. 30(7). link> doi> full text>2022.
-
Identifying long-term trajectories of foot pain severity and potential prognostic factors: a population-based cohort study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). link> doi> full text>2021.
Full Publications Listshow
Journal Articles
-
Osteoarthritis Flares. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 239-257, vol. 38(2). link> doi> link> full text>2022.
-
International Foot and Ankle Osteoarthritis Consortium review and research agenda for diagnosis, epidemiology, burden, outcome assessment and treatment. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 945-955, vol. 30(7). link> doi> full text>2022.
-
Identifying long-term trajectories of foot pain severity and potential prognostic factors: a population-based cohort study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). link> doi> full text>2021.
-
Incidence and Progression of Hallux Valgus: a Prospective Cohort Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). link> doi> full text>2021.
-
Best-practice clinical management of flares in people with osteoarthritis: A scoping review of behavioral, lifestyle and adjunctive treatments. Semin Arthritis Rheum, 749-760, vol. 51(4). link> doi> full text>2021.
-
Triggers for acute flare in adults with, or at risk of, knee osteoarthritis: a web-based case-crossover study in community-dwelling adults. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 956-964, vol. 29(7). link> doi> link> full text>2021.
-
Self-management advice, exercise and foot orthoses for plantar heel pain: the TREADON pilot and feasibility randomised trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud, 92, vol. 7(1). link> doi> full text>2021.
-
Identification of Radiographic Foot Osteoarthritis: Sensitivity of Views and Features Using the La Trobe Radiographic Atlas. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). link> doi> full text>2021.
- 2021.
-
Identification of patterns of foot and ankle pain in the community: Cross-sectional findings from the clinical assessment study of the foot. Musculoskeletal Care, 9-19, vol. 19(1). link> doi> full text>2021.
-
Hallux valgus severity, great toe pain, and plantar pressures during gait: A cross-sectional study of community-dwelling adults. Musculoskeletal Care, 383-390, vol. 18(3). link> doi> full text>2020.
-
A consensus-based framework for conducting and reporting osteoarthritis phenotype research. Arthritis Res Ther, 54, vol. 22(1). link> doi> full text>2020.
-
Relative prevalence and distribution of knee, hand and foot symptomatic osteoarthritis subtypes in an English population. Musculoskeletal Care, 219-224, vol. 18(2). link> doi> full text>2020.
-
Flare-ups of osteoarthritis: what do they mean in the short-term and the long-term?. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 870-873, vol. 28(7). link> doi> full text>2020.
-
Reasons why osteoarthritis predicts mortality: path analysis within a Cox proportional hazards model. RMD Open, e001048, vol. 5(2). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
Short-Term Recovery Trajectories of Acute Flares in Knee Pain: A UK-Netherlands Multicenter Prospective Cohort Analysis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 1687-1692, vol. 72(12). link> doi> full text>2020.
-
Risk factors for episodes of back pain in emerging adults. A systematic review. Eur J Pain, 19-38, vol. 24(1). link> doi> full text>2020.
-
Plantar heel pain in middle-aged and older adults: population prevalence, associations with health status and lifestyle factors, and frequency of healthcare use. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 337, vol. 20(1). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
Associations Between Calcaneal Enthesophytes and Osteoarthritis of the Hands and Feet. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 1343-1348, vol. 72(10). link> doi> full text>2020.
-
Predictors of pain interference and potential gain from intervention in community dwelling adults with joint pain: A prospective cohort study. Musculoskeletal Care, 231-240, vol. 17(3). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
Acute Flares of Knee Osteoarthritis (the ACT-FLARE Study): Protocol for a Web-Based Case-Crossover Study in Community-Dwelling Adults. JMIR Res Protoc, e13428, vol. 8(4). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
Midfoot osteoarthritis: potential phenotypes and their associations with demographic, symptomatic and clinical characteristics. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 659-666, vol. 27(4). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
Comparative effectiveness of treatment options for plantar heel pain: a systematic review with network meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med, 182-194, vol. 53(3). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
Prevalence of Foot Pain Across an International Consortium of Population-Based Cohorts. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 661-670, vol. 71(5). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
Acute flares of knee osteoarthritis in primary care: a feasibility and pilot case-crossover study. Pilot Feasibility Stud, 167, vol. 4. link> doi> full text>2018.
-
Coexistence of plantar calcaneal spurs and plantar fascial thickening in individuals with plantar heel pain. Rheumatology (Oxford), 237-245, vol. 58(2). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
Defining acute flares in knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review. BMJ Open, e019804, vol. 8(7). link> doi> full text>2018.
-
Symptomatic Course of Foot Osteoarthritis Phenotypes: An 18-Month Prospective Analysis of Community-Dwelling Older Adults. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 1107-1112, vol. 70(7). link> doi> full text>2018.
-
Clinical Significance of Medial Versus Lateral Compartment Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis: Cross-Sectional Analyses in an Adult Population With Knee Pain. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 943-951, vol. 69(7). link> doi> full text>2017.
- 2016.
-
Epidemiology of Shoe Wearing Patterns Over Time in Older Women: Associations With Foot Pain and Hallux Valgus. JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES, 1682-1687, vol. 71(12). link> doi> full text>2016.
-
Investigations of Potential Phenotypes of Foot Osteoarthritis: Cross-Sectional Analysis From the Clinical Assessment Study of the Foot. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 217-227, vol. 68(2). link> doi> full text>2016.
-
The epidemiology of symptomatic midfoot osteoarthritis in community-dwelling older adults: cross-sectional findings from the Clinical Assessment Study of the Foot. Arthritis Res Ther, 178, vol. 17. link> doi> full text>2015.
-
Clinical diagnosis of symptomatic midfoot osteoarthritis: cross-sectional findings from the Clinical Assessment Study of the Foot. Osteoarthritis and cartilage / OARS, Osteoarthritis Research Society. doi> link> full text>2015.
-
Is long-term physical activity safe for older adults with knee pain?: a systematic review. OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE, 1445-1456, vol. 23(9). link> doi> full text>2015.
-
Demographic and clinical factors associated with radiographic severity of first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis: cross-sectional findings from the Clinical Assessment Study of the Foot. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 77-82, vol. 23(1). link> doi> full text>2015.
-
The population prevalence of symptomatic radiographic foot osteoarthritis in community-dwelling older adults: cross-sectional findings from the clinical assessment study of the foot. Ann Rheum Dis, 156-163, vol. 74(1). link> doi> full text>2015.
- 2013.
- 2013.
-
Mobilising the experiential knowledge of clinicians, patients and carers for applied health-care research. Contemporary Social Science, 307-320, vol. 8(3). doi>2013.
-
Mobilising the experiential knowledge of clinicians, patients and carers for applied health-care research. Contemporary Social Science, 307-320, vol. 3(8).2013.
- 2011.
-
The clinical assessment study of the foot (CASF): study protocol for a prospective observational study of foot pain and foot osteoarthritis in the general population. J Foot Ankle Res, 22, vol. 4. link> doi> full text>2011.
-
Anterior knee pain in younger adults as a precursor to subsequent patellofemoral osteoarthritis: a systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 201, vol. 11. link> doi> full text>2010.
- 2010.
Other
- 2022.
- 2022.
- 2021.
-
TRAJECTORIES OF FOOT PAIN SEVERITY OVER SEVEN YEARS AND RELATIONSHIP TO POTENTIAL PROGNOSTIC FACTORS: THE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT STUDY OF THE FOOT. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 59). link> doi> full text>2020.
- 2020.
- 2020.
-
OSTEOARTHRITIS AND PREMATURE MORTALITY: PATHWAYS FOR HAND, HIP, KNEE AND FOOT OSTEOARTHRITIS. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 58). link> doi> full text>2019.
-
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF UK PHYSIOTHERAPISTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PEOPLE WITH POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA? FINDINGS FROM A QUALITATIVE STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY (p. 30, vol. 58). link>2019.
-
INCREMENTAL PROGNOSTIC PERFORMANCE OF A NEW VISUAL TRAJECTORIES QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PAIN: PROSPECTIVE COHORT OF KNEE PAIN IN PRIMARY CARE. OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE (pp. S348-S349, vol. 26). link> doi> full text>2018.
- 2017.
-
FOOT AND ANKLE PAIN PHENOTYPES: LATENT CLASS ANALYSIS FROM THE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT STUDY OF THE FOOT. RHEUMATOLOGY (pp. 77-78, vol. 55). link>2016.
-
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF FOOT OSTEOARTHRITIS PHENOTYPES: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING ADULTS. RHEUMATOLOGY (p. 40, vol. 55). link>2016.
- 2016.
-
Epidemiology of Shoe Wearing Patterns Over Time in Older Women: Associations With Foot Pain and Hallux Valgus. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci (pp. 1682-1687, vol. 71). link> doi> full text>2016.
-
POPULATION PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATIONS OF PLANTAR HEEL PAIN IN ADULTS AGED 50 YEARS AND OVER: CROSS-SECTIONAL FINDINGS FROM THE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT STUDY OF THE FOOT. RHEUMATOLOGY (pp. 39-40, vol. 54). link>2015.
-
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH RADIOGRAPHIC SEVERITY OF FIRST METATARSOPHALANGEAL JOINT OSTEOARTHRITIS: FINDINGS FROM THE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT STUDY OF THE FOOT. RHEUMATOLOGY (p. 131, vol. 53). link>2014.
-
THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MIDFOOT PAIN AND SYMPTOMATIC MIDFOOT OSTEOARTHRITIS: CROSSSECTIONAL FINDINGS FROM THE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT STUDY OF THE FOOT. RHEUMATOLOGY (pp. 129-130, vol. 53). link>2014.
- 2014.
- 2015.
- 2014.
- 2013.
-
POPULATION PREVALENCE OF SYMPTOMATIC RADIOGRAPHIC FOOT OSTEOARTHRITIS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS: THE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT STUDY OF THE FOOT (CASF). ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES (p. 59, vol. 72). link>2013.
-
The population prevalence of foot and ankle pain over the age of 45 years: A systematic review. Rheumatology (p. I147, vol. 49). Oxford Univ Press. doi>2010.
School of Medicine
David Weatherall building
University Road
Keele University
Staffordshire
ST5 5BG
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 733937
Email: medicine.reception@keele.ac.uk
Admissions enquiries: enquiries@keele.ac.uk