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Simon Federer

Part-time PhD Student

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Project Title: The effect of bariatric surgery on hip joint forces, walking gait and quality of life.

Supervisory Team:  Dr Penny Hudson, Dr Neal Smith, Mr Chris Pring (St. Richard’s Hospital)

Project Summary: My research is investigating how weight loss from bariatric surgery affects hip joint forces, walking gait and quality of life. Amongst other health issues, patients with obesity commonly experience musculoskeletal pain and restrictions to their mobility.  Several differences in gait characteristics have been noted in patients with morbid obesity compared to those of normal weight. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of hip osteoarthritis. The causal pathway between obesity and osteoarthritis is not completely understood, however, the changes in gait kinematics and increased joint loading are felt to contribute.

Reducing weight through bariatric surgery may reduce musculoskeletal pain and prevent or limit osteoarthritis progression and the need for arthroplasty. Bariatric surgery may provide a more cost effective and joint preserving solution to a population at greater risk of developing osteoarthritis.

There are three main questions the study is aiming to address; 1) How can we best locate the hip joint centre in obese patients? 2) What happens to hip joint kinematics and kinetics during walking with the reliable weight loss of bariatric surgery? 3) Can we improve quality of life and reduce hip pain in patients through use of bariatric surgery.

About You: I am currently the Clinical Research Fellow at St. Richard’s Hospital, Chichester, where I am working in the department of Trauma & Orthopaedics.

I graduated with my primary medical degree from Imperial College London in 2015. After completing initial training as a junior doctor in Southampton, I worked as an orthopaedic registrar in a high-volume unit in Auckland, New Zealand.

I completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education from Newcastle University in 2019 and took a post as an Anatomy Demonstrator at King’s College London for the academic year of 2019-20. I continue to deliver lectures on the Surgical Anatomy BSc Course at King’s College London. I was awarded Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons in 2020 and will be applying for orthopaedic specialty training in 2022.

Outside of work I enjoy cycling and swimming.

Other department members

Adrian Penrose
Coach Development Officer (Women & Girl's)
Amber Hartigan
Lecturer in Sports Therapy
Andy Briggs
Physiology Laboratory Technician & Part-Time PhD Student

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