Tom Maden-Wilkinson

Dr. Tom Maden-Wilkinson is a Senior Research Fellow at Sheffield Hallam University, affiliated with the School of Sport and Physical Activity and the Health Research Institute. His work bridges skeletal muscle physiology research between elite sports performance and clinical musculoskeletal health, focusing on muscle strength, function, and resilience. He collaborates with organizations such as Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Canon Medical Systems, and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

His research has two key strands:

• Clinical Musculoskeletal Health: Promoting resistance training in older adults and those with long-term conditions (e.g., Stroke, Arthritis, Long COVID). Co-creator of the Strength4Life community program, addressing gaps in strength training for over-55s and improving practitioner knowledge. Active in national falls prevention initiatives.
• Elite Sport: Investigates muscle architecture, injury risk (e.g., hamstring strains), and performance optimization using imaging techniques like MRI, pQCT, and ultrasound. Collaborates with elite sports organizations such as British Cycling, Lawn Tennis Association, and the Royal Dutch Cycling Federation.

Teaching includes modules on Exercise and Health, Physiology for Sports Performance, and Research Projects across undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Sport and Exercise Science. He supervises PhD students in muscle physiology, aging, and long-term conditions.

Current projects include developing rehabilitation protocols for Long COVID patients and stroke survivors using Canon Medical Systems’ ultrasound technology. He also leads initiatives to improve physical activity during lockdowns and co-founded the Virtual Clinic for Long COVID in underserved communities.