Dr Ross Armstrong, PhD

Ross joined the University of Cumbria in 2020 and is Associate Professor in Musculoskeletal and Population Health and is the Programme Lead for the Master of Research programme. Ross previously worked at Edge Hill University as a Senior Lecturer in Sports Therapy. Ross is a Chartered Physiotherapist having qualified in 2002 from Teesside University and has experience working in the NHS, private practice, professional sport, with the military and as a volunteer physiotherapist overseas. Ross has worked at a number of international sports events including the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics, Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014, Baku European games 2015, London 2017 World championships and Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. Ross has worked with professional sports teams including the Liverpool FC academy, Wigan Athletic FC academy, Carlisle United FC and Gillingham FC. 

Ross completed his PhD at Edge Hill University titled Musculoskeletal Screening: Implications for injury and performance and his main research interests are in musculoskeletal screening, hypermobility, systematic reviews and dance medicine. Ross graduated with a BSc (Hons) Sports Science and Physiology from the University of Leeds in 1998 and then completed a MSc Physiotherapy (accelerated route) at Teesside University in 2002. Ross completed an MSc Sports and Exercise Medicine at Queen Mary University in 2013.

Ross leads the Healthy Ageing Research Team and is co-lead for the  Rehabilitation and Healthy Lives Group and Systematic Review Group at the university. 

PhD Musculoskeletal Screening: Implications for injury and performance

Postgraduate Certificate of Teaching in Higher Education

MSc Sports and Exercise Medicine

MSc Physiotherapy (accelerated route)

BSc (Hons) Sports Science and Physiology

Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Member of the Health Professionals Council

Member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine: Silver accreditation

Member of the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapists

Cochrane Airways  and Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma group

Brazil/UK Dance Medicine and Science network

Somatic Practice and Chronic Pain network

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Musculoskeletal screening

Injury prevention 

Cochrane Systematic reviews

Joint hypermobility

Dance medicine

Somatic practice and chronic pain

Clinical prediction rules 

Current PhD supervisor

Accepting PhD students

EPSRC NortHFutures 2025, £50000, co-applicant on “Exploring the Role of Digital Health Technologies for Remote Monitoring of Patients with Frailty in NENC's Hospital at Home/Virtual Wards Initiatives” 

Armstrong R (2024). The Biodex Balance System and postural control in female rugby and netball players and dancers. Trends in Sport Sciences 31 (4) 215-221. DOI: 10.23829/TSS.2024.31.4-3.

Aburto González JF, Armstrong R, Monterrosa Quintero A (2024). Reliability of the New Index of Global Food Quality and its relationship with sociodemographic variables and physical activity levels in the Chilean population. Nutrición Hospitalaria Dec 19;41(6) 1265-1273. English. doi: 10.20960/nh.05192. PMID: 39446119.

Madadi Z, Sahebozamani M, Sadeghi H, Armstrong R, Alimoradi M and Iranmanesh M (2024). A comparative analysis of lower limb joint range of motion during running in adult females with normal feet and flatfeet. Medicina dello sport 77 (1) 48-60. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0025-7826.24.04390-4.

Gómez-Lozano S, Zhang N, Armstrong R, León K, Kelly-Lahon C, Sánchez-González P, Martínez-González-Moro I, Hurtado-Guapo MA, Vargas-Macías A (2024). The Concept of Neuromuscular Repatterning in Dancers: A Systematic Review. Impact factor 2.8
Healthcare 12(3):402. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12030402.

Kiandokht H, Zahra M, Alimoradi M , Shabani M, Armstrong R, Hogg J. Rezaei, Z (2023). The immediate effect of a balance wobble board protocol on knee and ankle joint position sense in female soccer players. Acta Gymnica, 53 . e2023.011. 

https://doi.org/10.5507/ag.2023.011

Zhang N, Gómez-Lozano S, Armstrong R, Liu H, Abadía O, Vargas-Macías A. (2023). Monitoring flamenco dance movement with Accelerometer: Methodological and practical commendations. Revista del Centro de Investigación Flamenco Telethusa, 17(19), 8-12. DOI: 10.23754/telethusa.171901.2024

Zhang N, Gómez-Lozano S, Armstrong R, Liu H, Vargas-Macías A (2023). Ankle active range of motion as an essential factor of footwork technique in the prevention of overuse injuries in flamenco dancers. Archives of Sports Medicine 40 (2): 77-84.

 Relph N, Greaves H, Armstrong R, Prior TD, Spencer S, Griffiths IB, Dey P, Langley B (2022). Running shoes for preventing lower limb running injuries in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD013368. 

https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013368.pub2 

Armstrong R (2022). Joint hypermobility, dynamic balance and postural controls in dancers: Implications for clinical practice. Physiotherapy. 114S1:e145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2021.12.107

Armstrong R, Relph N (2022). Musculoskeletal screening for low back pain in gymnastics: Systematic Review. Physiotherapy. 114S1:e148.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2021.12.111

Zhang N, Gómez-Lozano S, Armstrong R, Liu H, Vargas-Macías (2022). External Load of Flamenco Zap-3 Footwork Test: Use of PlayerLoad Concept with Triaxial Accelerometry. Sensors 22, 4847. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22134847

Armstrong R, Bittar A (2021) Book chapter. Dance Medicine and Science Guide-From the Brazil-United Kingdom Dance Medicine and Science Network. Editors: Bittar A, Wyon M, Figueiredo V, Brown D, Haas A. Goiania: Kelps.

Chapter 8. Injuries in Dance: Definitions, Severity, Rates, Prevalence, Types and Risk Factors. 305-316. Goiania: Kelps.

Bittar A, Rosa Quireze CA, Clements L, McCormack M, Armstrong R, Pitta F, Zikan F (2021). Book chapter. Dance Medicine and Science Guide-From the Brazil-United Kingdom Dance Medicine and Science Network. Editors: Bittar A, Wyon M, Figueiredo V, Brown D, Haas A. Goiania: Kelps.

Chapter 10. Physiotherapy, Nutrition and Psychological Well-Being in Dance.339-362. Goiania: Kelps.

Moulder S, Armstrong R, Greig M, Brogden C (2021). The effect of kinesio ankle taping on tri-axial accelerometry during the Dance Aerobic Fitness Test. Journal of Dance Medicineand Science. Sep 15;25 (3):191-199. Doi: 10.12678/1089-313X.091521d. Jun 3.

Armstrong R, Relph N (2021). Screening tools as a predictor of injury in gymnastics: Systematic Literature review. Sports Medicine Open 7 73. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00361-3

Armstrong R (2021). Case study: The management of rotator cuff tendonitis in a dancer. Trends in Sports Science. 28 (4). 259-263. DOI: 10.23829/TSS.2021.28.4-2

Armstrong R (2019). The relationship between the functional movement screen, star excursion balance test and the Beighton score in dancers. The Physician and Sports Medicine, 48 (1): 53-62. doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2019.1624658

Speariett S, Armstrong R (2019) The relationship between the golf-specific movement screen and golf performance. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 29 (4): 425-435. doi:10.1123/jsr.2018-0441

Armstrong R (2019). The Beighton score and injury in dancers: A prospective cohort study. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation 29 (5) 563-571. doi:10.1123/jsr.2018-0390

Armstrong R (2019) Dance Screening practices in dance companies, dance schools and university dance programmes: an international survey of current practices. Journal of Clinical Case Reports. doi.org/10.33118/oaj.clin.2019.01.007

Armstrong R, Brogden C, Greig M (2019). The Star Excursion Balance Test as a predictor of Mechanical Loading. Gazzetta Medica Italiana 178 (3):98-105. doi: 10.23736/S0393-3660.18.03733-6.

Armstrong R, Brogden C, Greig M (2019). Joint hypermobility as a predictor of mechanical loading. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation 29 (1):12-22. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2018-0216.

Relph, N, Greaves, H, Armstrong R, Gichuru, P, Prior T, Griffiths I, Spencer, S, Dey, P, Langley, B (2019). Running shoes for preventing lower limb running injuries in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (7). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013368

Felix L, Grundy S, Milan S, Armstrong R, Harrison H, Lynes D, Spencer S (2018). Dual antibiotics for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. The Cochrane Library, 2018 (6). doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012514.pub2

Armstrong R (2018). The hypermobility spectrum in rugby union players, netballers and dancers: Implications for injury and performance. Journal of Education, Health and Sport 8 (7):269-290. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1311592.

Armstrong R, Greig M (2018). Classifying joint hypermobility: a comparison of three current classification systems. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 25 (7):340-345. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2018.25.7.340.

Armstrong R (2018). Relative joint contribution to joint hypermobility: The need for careful consideration of lumbar flexion. The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy 13 (4):676-686. doi: 10.26603/ijspt20180676.

Armstrong R, Greig M (2018). The Beighton Score as a predictor of Brighton Criteria in sports and dance. Physical Therapy in Sport 32:145-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2018.04.016.

Armstrong R, Relph N (2018). Screening tools as a predictor of injury in dance. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine Open 4 33. doi:10.1186/s40798-018-0146-z. 

Armstrong R, Greig M (2018). Injury identification: The efficacy of the Functional Movement Screen in female and rugby union players. The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy 13 (4):605-617. https://doi.org/10.26603/ijspt20180605.

Armstrong R, Greig M (2018). The Functional Movement Screen and modified Star Excursion Balance Test as predictors of T-test agility performance in university rugby union and netball players. Physical Therapy in Sport 31:15-21.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2018.01.003. 

Brogden C, Armstrong R, Page R, Milner D, Norris D, Greig M (2018). Use of Triaxial Accelerometry During the Dance Aerobic Fitness Test: Considerations for Unit Positioning and Implications for Injury Risk and Performance. Journal of Dance Medicine and Science 22 (3):115-122. https://doi.org/10.12678/1089-313X.22.3.115 

Armstrong R, Brogden C, Milner D, Norris D, Greig M (2018). Functional Movement Screening as a Predictor of Mechanical Loading and Performance in Dancers. Journal of Dance Medicine and Science 22 (4):203-208. https://doi.org/10.12678/1089-313X.22.4.203. 

Armstrong R, Brogden C, Milner D, Norris D, Greig M (2018). The Influence of Fatigue on Star Excursion Balance Test Performance in Dancers. Journal of Dance Medicine and Science 22 (3):142-147. doi: 10.12678/1089-313X.22.3.142.

Armstrong R, Brogden C, Greig M (2018). Effect of fatigue on Functional Movement Screening Performance in dancers. Medical Problems in Performing Artists 33 (3):213-219. https://doi.org/10.21091/mppa.2018.3032.

Armstrong R (2018). Joint hypermobility in young gymnasts: Implications for injury and performance. Journal of Education, Health and Sport 8(11):354-375. eISNN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1493831

Felix L, Grundy S, Milan S, Armstrong R, Harrison H, Lynes D, Spencer S (2017). Dual antibiotics for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Review (1). CD012514. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD012514

Armstrong R, Brogden C, Greig M (2017).  The Functional Movement Screen as a predictor of mechanical loading in dancers. The Second World Congress of Sports Physical Therapy. Physical Therapy in Sport, 6/10/2017-7/10/2017, The Titanic, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 28, e4, ISSN 1466-853X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2017.08.017.

Armstrong R (2016). The use of clinical case studies to develop clinical reasoning in sports therapy students: The students' perspective. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 23 (5):230-241. doi: 10.12968/ijtr.2016.23.5.230

Armstrong R (2016). Hypermobility screening in dance and rugby. Revista Movimenta 9 (4):671-676.

Armstrong R (2016). Hypermobility in dance. 27/10/16 Brazil-UK Dance Medicine and Science. University of Goiania, Brazil.

Armstrong R (2016). The use of clinical case studies to develop clinical reasoning in sports therapy students: the students’ perspective. European Region of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy, 11/11/2016-11/11/2016, Liverpool, Physiotherapy 102S, 1:eS146-eS147, ISSN 0031-9406, DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2016.10.169.

Armstrong R (2016). Functional movement screening as a predictor of injury in male and female university rugby union players. The European Region of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy, 11/11/2016 -12/11/2016, Liverpool, Physiotherapy 102S:eS67-eS282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2016.10.213.

External advisor, University of Huddersfield, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Podiatry subject review.

Editorial board for the Telethusa journal and Frontiers in Sport and Active Living.

Reviewer for Physical Therapy in Sport, Sports Medicine, The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, The Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, Medical Problems of Performing Artists and the Journal of Art Culture and Design Technologies.