Dr Francesco Della Villa

MD

Scientific Director, Education and Research Department, FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence

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Dr Francesco Della Villa

MD

Scientific Director, Education and Research Department, FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence

Make a Booking Enquiry
33 years experience
English, Italian
Registered with: General Medical Council

Bio

Francesco is the Director of the Education and Research Department and oversees the Research & Development of the Isokinetic Medical Group, including all the scientific activities in the field of Sports Medicine from injury reduction strategies to return to play after major sports injuries. The E&R dept team is also in charge of the selection, training onboard, updating and professional development of all the Isokinetic Medical Group staff.

Career Highlights


Real Madrid CF Medical Director, Madrid (2013-17. Honours: 3 UEFA Champions League, 1Liga, 1 Copa del Rey, 2 World Club Championship, 2 UEFA SuperCup)

Doctor, Spain Rugby National Team

(XV 1995-2000, VII 2010-12)

Co-founder, Football Science Institute FSI

Areas of Expertise


  • Orthopaedics Rehabilitation
  • Sports Medicine
  • Regenerative Medicine

Experience

2021-Present


Isokinetic Bologna

Scientific Director

Bologna, Italy

2018-2021


Education and Research Department

Head of Clinical Research and Development

Bologna, Italy

2018


Clinical & Research Fellowship Sports Medicine and Biomechanics

Researcher

Los Angeles, USA

2011-2014


Isokinetic London

Internship as Medical Student and Physician

London, UK

2013


Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sport Medicine Group

Internship as Medical Doctor

Santa Monica, CA, USA

2012


University College of London

Internship as Medical Student

London, UK

2011


Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital

Internship as Medical Student

Auckland, New Zealand

Education

2021-2022


Executive master in healthcare management

SDA Bocconi School of Management

Milan, Italy

2018


Clinical & Research Fellowship

University of Southern California

Los Angeles CA, USA

2014-2018


Post-graduate course in Sports and Exercise Medicine

Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna

Bologna, Italy

2007-2013


Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine and Surgery

Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna

Bologna, Italy

BOOKS


Krutsch, W., Mayr, H.O., Musahl, V., Della Villa, F., Tscholl, P.M., Jones, H. Injury and Health Risk Management in Sports A Guide to Decision Making: A Guide to Decision Making . Springer Ed. doi : 10.100 7/978 3 662 60752 7 . ISBN: 978 3 662 60751 0

BOOK CHAPTERS


Compagnin A, Gastaldo M, Della Villa F. Return to Running After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. The Running Athlete, A Comprehensive Overview of Running in Different Sports 2022. 10.1007/978 3 662 65064 6_11

Boldrini L, Lucenteforte G, Danelon F, Della Villa F. Principles of Rehabilitation in Cartilage and Lesions. Joint Function Preservation 2022. 10.1007/978 3 030 82958 2_35

Della Villa F, Tosarelli F, Fusetti D, Boldrini L, Della Villa S. Rehabil i tation and Decision for Return t o Play Following Cartilage Restoration Surgery. Cartilage Injury of the Knee 2021. 10.1007/978 3 030 78051 7_27

Della Villa F , Della V illa S, Buckthorpe M. A Biomechanical Perspective on Rehabilitation of ACL Injuries in Basketball. Basketball Sports Medicine and Science 2020. 10.1007/978 3 662 61070 1_57

Della Villa F, Gastaldo Marco, Buckthorpe, Matthew. Prevention Strategies in Traumatic and Overuse Injuries. Injury and Health Risk Management in Sports A Guide to Decision Making: A Guide to Decision Making 2020 10.1007/978 3 662 60752 7_11.

Della Villa S, Ricci M, Della Villa F. Conservati ve treatment for cartilage lesions: rehabilitation and reconditioning . Sigascot Cartilage e book 2015

Della Villa S, Della Villa F, Fazzini D, Ricci M. Rehabilitation and return to sport. Sigascot Cartilage e book 2015.

Nanni G, Della Villa F, Ricci M, Rizzo D, Della Villa S Hamstring injuries. Football Traumatology II ed. 2016

Della Villa S, Della Villa F, Ricci M, Respizzi S. New trends in rehabilitation. Football Traumatology II ed. 2016

Della Villa S, Ricci M, Della Villa F, Bizzini M. Implementation of prevention in sports. Prevention of injuries and overuse in sports. ESSKA book. 2016

Della Villa S, Della Villa F, Ricci M, Tsapralis K. Rehabilitation and return to s port. Surgery of the meniscus. ESSKA book 2016

Della Villa F, Andrade R, Pereira Castro A, Cassiano Neves M. Apophysitis. Injuries and Health Problems in Football . ISAKOS book 2017

Della Villa S, Della Villa F, Ricci M, Doral MN, Gasbarro G, Musahl V. ACL Risk of Reinjury: When Is It Safe to Return (Time or Criteria). Injuries and Health Problems in Football 2017

Boldrini L, Danelon F, Della Villa F, Della Villa S. Non operative Treatment of Patellofemoral Joint. The Patellofemoral Joint 2014 Isakos book

Boldrini L, Danelon F, Della Villa F, Della Villa S. Patellofemoral Postoperative Rehabilitation The Patellofemoral Joint 2014 Isakos book

PAPERS


Di Paolo S, Grassi A, Tosarelli F, Crepaldi M, Bragonzoni L , Zaffagnini S, Della Villa F. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional Biomechanical Factors During 90° Change of Direction are Associated to Non Contact ACL injury in Female Soccer Players. IJSPT. Published online August 1, 2023.

Gokeler A, Tosarelli F, Buckthorpe M, Della Villa F . Neurocognitive errors are common in non contact ACL injuries in professional male soccer players. J Athl Train. 2023 May 26. doi:10. 4085/1062 6050 0209.22.

Di Paolo S, Grassi A, Bragonzoni L, Zaffagnini S, Della Villa F . Foot rotation and pelvic angle correlate with knee abduction moment during 180° lateral cut in football players. Knee. 2023 Jun 7;43:81-88. doi: 10.1016/j.knee.2023.05.008.

Cassiolas G, Di Paolo S, Marchiori G, Grassi A, Della Villa F, Braganzoni L, Visani A, Giavaresi G, Fini M, Zaffagnini S, Lopomo NF. Knee Joint Contact Forcesc during High Risk Dynamic Tasks: 90° Change of Direction and Dece leration Movements. Bioengineering 2023 Jan. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering10020179

Waldén M, Mountjoy M, Mccall A, Serner A, Massey A, Tol JL, Bahr R, D’Hooghe M, Bittencourt NFN, Della Villa F Dohi M, Dupont G, Fulcher M, Dina C, van Rensburg J, Lu D, Andersen TE. Football specific extension of the IOC consensus statement: m ethods for recording
and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport 2020 . British Journal of Sports Medicine 2023 Jan. doi: 10.1136/bjsports 2022 106405

Gokeler A, Grassi A, Hoogeslag RAG, van Houten AH, Bolling C, Buckthorpe M, Norte G, Benjaminse A, Heuvelmans P, Di Paolo S, Tak IJR, Della Villa F . Return to Sports after ACL injury 5 years from now: 10 things we must do. Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics 2022 Dec. doi:10.1186/s40634 022 00514 7

Gastaldo M, Gokeler A, Della Villa F . High quality rehabilitation to optimize return to sport following lateral meniscus surgery in football players. Annals of Joint 2022 Oct. doi: 10.21037/aoj 21 32

Della Villa F , Buckthorpe M, Tosarelli F, Zago M, Zaffagnini S, Grassi A. Video analysis of Achilles tendon rupture in male professional football (soccer) players: injury mechanisms, patterns and biomechanics. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 20 22 Sept. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001419

Della Villa F Esposito F, Busà M, Stillavato S, Zago M. The three dimensional reconstruction of an Achilles tendon rupture in a professional football player reveals a multiplanar injury mechanism. Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy 2022 July. doi:
10.1007/s00167-022-07078-0

Zunarelli P, Lucenteforte G, Miceli M, Stride M, Nanni G, Della Villa F The Use of Diagnostic Ultrasound in Sports Muscle Injuries in Football (Soccer) Players: State of the art Review. Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports 2022 June. doi: 10.1007/s40141-022-00354-7

D’Hooghe P, Grassi A, Della Villa F Alkhelaifi K, Papakostas A, Rekik RN, Marìn Fermìn T, Tosarelli F, Zaffagnini S. The injury mechanism correlation between MRI and video analysis in professional football players with an acute ACL knee injury reveals consistent bone bruise patterns. Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy 2022 June. doi: 10.1007/s00167 022 07002 6

Di Paolo S, Bragonzoni L, Della Villa F, Grassi A, Zaffagnini S. Do healthy athletes exhibit at risk biomechanics for anterior cruciate ligament injury during pivoting movements? Sports Biomechanics 2022 June. doi: 10.1080/14763141.2022.2080105

Di Paolo S, Zaffagnini S, Tosarelli F, Grassi A, Della Villa F. Beyond Distance: A Simple Qualitative Assessment of the Single Leg Hop Test in Return to Play Testing . Sports Health A Multidisciplinary Approach 2022 Jan. doi: 10.1177/19417381211063450

Olivares Jabalera J, Filter Ruger A, Dos’Santos T, Afonso J, Della Villa F Morente Sanchez J, Soto Hermoso VM, Reque na B. Exercise-Based Training Strategies to Reduce the Incidence or Mitigate the Risk Factors of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Adult Football (Soccer) Players: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Resear ch and Public Health 2021 Dec. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182413351

Musahl V, Engler I, Nazzal E, Dalton J, Lucidi GA, Hughes JD, Zaffagnini S, Della Villa F Irrgang JJ, Fu F, Karlsson J. Current trends in the anterior cruciate ligament part II: evaluation, surgical technique, prevention, and rehabilitation . Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy 2021 Dec. doi: 10.1007/s00167-021-06825-z

Buckthorpe M, Pisoni D, Tosarelli F, Danelon F, Grassi A, Della Villa F. Three Main Mechanisms Characterize Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries in Professional Male Soccer Blow to the Knee, Contact to the Leg or Foot, and Sliding: Video Analysis of 37 Consecutive Injuries. Journal of Orth opaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2021 Nov. doi:10.2519/jospt.2021.10529

D’Hooghe P, Grassi A, Della Villa F Alkhelaifi K, Papakostas E, Tosarelli F, Zaffagnini S. 401 Bone bruise pattern and mechanism of anterior cruciate ligament injury in professional football players: correlation between MRI and video analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2021 Nov. doi: 10.1136/bjsports 2021 IOC.366

Di Paolo S, Zaffagnini S, Tosarelli F, Aggio F, Bragonzoni L, Grassi A, Della Villa F. A 2D qualitative movement assessment of a deceleration task detects football players with high knee joint loading. Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy 2021 Sept. doi: 10.1007/s00167-021-06709-2

Straub R, Della Villa F Mandelbaum B, Powers CM. Confidence to Return to Play After ACL Reconstruction: An Evaluation of Quadriceps Strength Symmetry and Injury Mechanism in Male Athletes. Sports Health A Multidisciplinary Approach 2021 Sept. doi: 10.117 7/19417381211043854

Della Villa F Hagglund M, Della Villa S, Ekstrand J, Waldén M. Infographic. High rate of second ACL injury following ACL reconstruction in male professional footballers: An updated longitudinal analysis from 118 players in the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2021 June. doi: 10.1136/bjsports 2021 104508

Buckthorpe M, Della Villa F. Recommendations for Plyometric Training after ACL Reconstruction A Clinical Commentary. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy 2021 June. doi: 10.26603/001c.23549

Lucarno S, Zago M, Buckthorpe M, Grassi A, Tosarelli F, Smith R, Della Villa F. Systematic Video Analysis of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Professional Female Soccer Players. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2021 May. doi: 10.1177/03635465211008169

Gokeler A, Benjaminse A, Della Villa F, Tosarelli F, Verhagen E, Baumeister J. Anterior cruciate ligament injury mechanisms through a neurocognition lens: implications for injury screening. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2021 May. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem 2021-001091

Della Villa F, Di Paolo S, Santagati D, Della Croce E, Lopomo NF, Grassi A, Zaffagnini S. A 2D video analysis scoring system of 90° change of direction technique identifies football players with high knee abduction moment. Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy. 2021 Apr. doi:10.1007/s00167-021-06571-2

Della Villa F Hagglund M, Della Villa S, Ekstrand J, Waldén M. High rate of second ACL injury following ACL reconstruction in male professional footballers: An updated longitudinal analysis from 118 players in the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study. British Jou rnal of Sports Medicine. 2021 Apr. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103555

Buckthorpe M, Danelon F, La Rosa G, Nanni G, Stride M, Della Villa F. Recommendations for Hamstring Function Recovery After ACL Reconstruction. Sports Medicine. 2021 Apr. doi:10.1007/s40279-020-01400-x

Di Paolo S, Lopomo NF, Della Villa F, Paolini G, Figari G, Bragonzoni L, Grassi A, Zaffagnini S. Rehabilitation and Return to Sport Assessment after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury:Quantifying Joint Kinematics during Complex High-Speed Tasks through Wearable Sensors. Sensors . 2021 Mer. doi: 10.3390/s21072331

Della Villa F , Straub RK, Mandelbaum B, Powers CM. Confidence to Return to Play After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Is Influenced by Quadriceps Strength Symmetry and Injury Mechanism. Sports Health. 2021 Feb 3:1941738120976377. doi:
10.1177/1941738120976377.

Grassi A, Caravelli S, Fuiano M, D’Hooghe P, Filippini M, Della Villa F , Mosca M, Zaffagnini S. Epidemiology of Achilles Tendon Rupture in Italian First Division Football (Soccer) Players and Their Performance After Return to Play. Clin J Sport Med. 2021 Feb 1. doi:
10.1097/JSM.0000000000000879.

Buckthorpe M, Danelon F, La Rosa G, Nanni G, Stride M, Della Villa F . Recommendations for Hamstring Function Recovery After ACL Reconstruction. Sports Med. 2021 Apr;51(4):607-624.

Della Villa F, Buckthorpe M, Grassi A, Nabiuzzi A, Tosarelli F, Zaffagnini S, Virgile A, Della Villa S. Infographic. Systematic video analysis of ACL injuries in professional male football (soccer): injury mechanisms, situational patterns and biomechanics study on 134 consecutive cases. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Oct 19: bjsports-2020-103241. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103241.

Grassi A, Tosarelli F, Agostinone P, Macchiarola L, Zaffagnini S, Della Villa F. Rapid Posterior Tibial Reduction After Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture: Mechanism Description From a Video Analysis. Sports Health. 2020 Sep/Oct;12(5):462 469. doi:
10.1177/1941738120936673.

Della Villa F , Buckthorpe M, Grassi A, Nabiuzzi A, Tosarelli F, Zaffagnini S, Della Villa S. Systematic video analysis of ACL injuries in professional male football (soccer): injury mechanisms, situational patterns and biomechanics study on 134 consecutive cases. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Dec;54(23):1423-1432. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2019-101247.

Buckthorpe M, Tamisari A , Della Villa F A ten task based progression in rehabilitation after acl reconstruction: from post surgery to return to play : a clinical commentary. Int J of Sports Phys Ther 15(4):611 623 Follow journal. doi: 10.26603/ijspt20200611

Grassi A, Macchiarola L, Lucidi GA, Stefanelli F, Neri M, Silvestri A, Della Villa F , Zaffagnini S. More than a 2 fold risk of contralateral anterior cruciate ligamen t injuries compared with ipsilateral graft failure 10 years after primary reconstruction. Am J Sports Med. 2020.

Grassi A, Macchiarola L, Filippini M, Lucidi GA, Della Villa F, Zaffagnini S. Epidemiology of anterior cruciate ligament in Italian First Division soccer players. Sports Health. 2020;12(3):279-88

Buckthorpe M, Pirotti E, Della Villa F . Benef i ts and use of aquatic during rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction a clinical commentary. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019;14(6):978-993.

Buckthorpe M, Stride M, Della Villa F . Assessing and treating gluteus maximus weakness:a clinical commentary. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019;14(4):655 69

Buckthorpe M, Della Villa F, Della Villa S, Roi GS. On field rehabilitation part 2: On-Field Rehabilitation Part 2: A 5-Stage Program for the Soccer Player Focused on Linear Movements, Multidirectional Movements, Soccer-Specific Skills, Soccer-Specific Movements, and Modified Practice. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2019; 49: 470 5 75.

Buckthorpe M, Della Villa F, Della Villa S, Roi GS. On field rehabilitation part 1: 4 pillars of high-quality on-field rehabilitation are restoring movement quality, physical conditioning, restoring sport-specific skills, and progressively developing chronic training load. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther.2019; 49:565-569.

Buckthorpe M, Della Villa F. Optimising the ‘mid-stage’ training and testing process after ACL reconstruction. Sports Med. 2019 Nov 28. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01222-6.

Della Villa F, Andriolo L, Ricci M, et al. Compliance in post-operative rehabilitation is a key factor for return to sport after revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2019 Aug 3. doi: 10.1007/s00167-019-05649-2.

Buckthorpe M, La Rosa G, Della Villa F. Restoring knee extensor strength after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a clinical commentary. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019;14(1):159–72

Della Villa F, Mandelbaum B, Lemak L. The Effect of Playing Position on Injury Risk in Male Soccer Players: Systematic Review of the Literature and Risk Considerations for Each Playing Position. AJO 10/2018

Andriolo L, Filardo G, Kon E, Ricci M, Della Villa F, Della Villa S, Zaffagnini S, Marcacci M. Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: clinical outcome and evidence for return to sport” KSSTA 2015

Della Villa F, Ricci M, Perdisa F, Filardo G, Gamberini J, Caminati D, Della Villa S. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and rehabilitation: predictors of functional outcome”. Joints 2016

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