Dr Francesco Della Villa
MD
Director, Education and Research Department, Isokinetic Medical Group FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence
Dr Francesco Della Villa
MD
Director, Education and Research Department, Isokinetic Medical Group FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence
81 publications
150+ conferences
1738 citations
Bio
Dr. Della Villa is the Scientific Director of Isokinetic Medical Group and oversees all the Isokinetic Education and Research Department’s activities. He is a Scientist, Medical Doctor and Manager.
From research and development to scientific activities, he also supervises human resources and career ladders for the Group.
Alongside these various roles, he is also a member of the Isokinetic Board.
Dr. Della Villa completed his studies at Medical School training in Bologna, his city of birth, and which is home to the oldest university in the world. Through his international Sports Medicine education, he travelled to many different places around the globe. He is a specialist in Sports and Exercise Medicine and completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine in Santa Monica, Los Angeles in ACL injuries and biomechanics.
Francesco is an important contributor to the field of Sports and Football Medicine, as president of the Isokinetic Conference and an active member of many scientific societies, including ESSKA (European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy) ISAKOS (International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine) and ICRS (International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society). He is also a member of the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence Advisory Group and has active partnerships with several international federations.
His scientific activity is mainly focused on ACL injuries and football injuries. He has written more than 50 international papers and actively participates in many conferences all around the world.
He is a communicator and has a passion for education. He works with many different universities, especially through the Isokinetic Fellowship Programme, and is often invited to bring the Group’s experience to many institutions. He is also Adjunct Professor of the University of Bologna, lecturing in “Sport and Exercise Medicine” in the Medicine and Surgery course.
Career Highlights
2013 Graduation in Medicine and Surgery.
2018 Clinical & Research Fellowship, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, USA
2021 Direction Education and Research Department, Isokinetic Medical Group
2023 President of the International Isokinetic Conference
Areas of Expertise
- Sports Medicine
- Football Medicine
- Biomechanics and video analysis
- Injury mechanisms
- Acl injuries
- Injury prevention
- Orthopaedic rehabilitation
Experience
2023-Present
Isokinetic International Conference
President
Madrid, Spain
2021-Present
Isokinetic Medical Group
Scientific Director
Bologna, Italy
2009-Present
FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence
Advisory Group Member
Zurich, Switzerland
2021-Present
Education and Research Department
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
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
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
2011-2014
Internship as Medical Student and Physician
Isokinetic London
London, UK
2007-2013
Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine and Surgery
Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna
Bologna, Italy
Publications
81
indexed publications
1751
citations
27
H index
39
i10 index
Aiello F, Avery L, Gardner T, Rutherford H, McCall A, Impellizzeri FM, Peek K, Della Villa F, Massey A, Serner A. Broadening our understanding of injury mechanisms to include at-risk situations: an overview of potential injuries at the FIFA men’s World Cup Qatar 2022TM. Science and medicine in Football. June 2024.
Zago M, Esposito F, Stillavato S, Zaffagnini S, Frigo CA, Della Villa F. 3-Dimensional Biomechanics of Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Male Professional Soccer Players. AJSM. May 2024.
Della Villa F, Di Paolo D, Crepaldi M, Santin P, Menditto I, Capitani LP, Boldrini L, Ciampone L, Vassura G, Bortolami A, Bosi AN, Grassi A, Zaffagnini S. Kinematics of 90° change of direction in young football players: Insights for ACL injury prevention from the CUTtheACL study on 6008 trials. KSSTA. May 2024.
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
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
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