Dr Nikolaos Malliaropoulos

Profile

Dr Nikos Malliaropoulos is a Consultant in Sports and Exercise Medicine based at the Sports Clinic Bart’s and the London Mile End Hospital and Senior Clinical Lecturer at QMUL Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine Academic Department.

He has been Director of the Sports Medicine clinic of the Track and Field Hellenic Association in Thessaloniki, from 1986-2017 and was Chief Medical Officer of the Hellenic Olympic Team XXVIII Athens Olympics 2004.

He is a Fellow of the UK Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh. He is a Founding member of the European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians – ECOSEP and current Secretary in General, a Fellow of the International Federation of Sports Medicine FIMS.
Nikos as a Judo athlete was Balkan Judo Champion – is a 7th DAN in Judo, and Head Coach of Aris Judo Team. 

Memberships

•    Fellow of the Faculty Sports and Exercise Medicine   (U.K.)                                                  
•    Fellow of the International Sports Medicine Federation FIMS 
•    Founding Member European College of Sports and Exercise Medicine (E.C.O.S.E.P.)

Research

His main clinical interests are in the diagnosis, management and rehabilitation of sports injuries and mechanical musculoskeletal pathologies. One of his main areas of expertise is hamstring and judo research. He has significant experience in MSK ultrasonography and interventional procedures since 2000. Special interests are all soft tissue injuries including hamstring and troublesome muscle Injuries, tendon injuries, ankle and knee injuries, bone stress injuries, and low back pain. His main management approaches are injuries specific exercise prescription as a treatment for musculoskeletal pathologies, ultrasound-guided injections, extra shock wave therapy - ESWT, and low level laser treatment - LLLT. 

Key Publications

Full list of publications

Olympic Sports

• High-rate settlement and unconsciousness with shime-waza in young judo athletes from a video analytic study in Judo World Championships. Sasaki E, Ikumi A, Sakuyama N, Malliaropoulos N, Mikami Y, Nagahiro S. J Sci Med Sport. 2022 Nov;25(11):942-947.
• Prevalence of sport injuries in Olympic combat sports: a cross-sectional study examining one Olympic period. Lambert C, Ritzmann R, Lambert S, Lachmann D, Malliaropoulos NG, Gesslein M, Peters N, Shafizadeh S. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2022 Nov;62(11):1496-1504.
• A Systematic Review on the Biomechanics of Breakfall Technique (Ukemi) in Relation to Injury in Judo within the Adult Judoka Population. Lockhart R, Błach W, Angioi M, Ambroży T, Rydzik Ł, Malliaropoulos N. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr 2;19(7):4259.
• Rotational head acceleration and traumatic brain injury in combat sports: a systematic review. Lota KS, Malliaropoulos N, Blach W, Kamitani T, Ikumi A, Korakakis V, Maffulli N. Br Med Bull. 2022 Mar 21;141(1):33-46.
• Judo Injuries Frequency in Europe's Top-Level Competitions in the Period 2005-2020. Błach W, Smolders P, Rydzik Ł, Bikos G, Maffulli N, Malliaropoulos N, Jagiełło W, Maćkała K, Ambroży T. J Clin Med. 2021 Feb 19;10(4):852.
• Prevalence, techniques and knowledge of rapid weight loss amongst adult british judo athletes: a questionnaire based study. Malliaropoulos N, Rachid S, Korakakis V, Fraser SA, Bikos G, Maffulli N, Angioi M. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2018 Jan 10;7(3):459-466.
• On the way to the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games (2020). Prevention of severe head and neck injuries in judo: it's time for action. Kamitani T, Malliaropoulos NG, Omiya M, Otaka Y, Inoue K, Onidani N. Br J Sports Med. 2017 Nov;51(22):1581-1582.
• Comprehensive training programme for judo players nine plus 9+: possible lower limb primary injury prevention. Malliaropoulos NG, Callan M, Johnson J. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2014 Jul 14;4(2):262-8.
• Epidemiology of injuries in elite taekwondo athletes: two Olympic periods cross-sectional retrospective study. Altarriba-Bartes A, Drobnic F, Til L, Malliaropoulos N, Montoro JB, Irurtia A. BMJ Open. 2014 Feb 14;4(2):e004605.
• Injuries in judo: a systematic literature review including suggestions for prevention. Pocecco E, Ruedl G, Stankovic N, Sterkowicz S, Del Vecchio FB, Gutiérrez-García C, Rousseau R, Wolf M, Kopp M, Miarka B, Menz V, Krüsmann P, Calmet M, Malliaropoulos N, Burtscher M. Br J Sports Med. 2013 Dec;47(18):1139-43.
• Blood phosphorus and magnesium levels in 130 elite track and field athletes. Malliaropoulos N, Tsitas K, Porfiriadou A, Papalada A, R Ames P, Del Buono A, Lippi G, Maffulli N. Asian J Sports Med. 2013 Mar;4(1):49-53.
• Body Composition and Dietary Intake of Elite Cross-country Skiers Members of the Greek National Team. Papadopoulou SK, Gouvianaki A, Grammatikopoulou MG, Maraki Z, Pagkalos IG, Malliaropoulos N, Hassapidou MN, Maffulli N. Asian J Sports Med. 2012 Dec;3(4):257-66.
  
  MUSCLE –HAMSTRING INJURIES  
• Hamstring and other thigh injuries in children and young athletes. Valle X, Malliaropoulos N, Párraga Botero JD, Bikos G, Pruna R, Mónaco M, Maffulli N. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2018 Dec;28(12):2630-2637.
• Higher frequency of hamstring injuries in elite track and field athletes who had a previous injury to the ankle - a 17 years observational cohort study. Malliaropoulos N, Bikos G, Meke M, Vasileios K, Valle X, Lohrer H, Maffulli N, Padhiar N. J Foot Ankle Res. 2018 Feb 26;11:7.
• Muscle Injuries in Sports: A New Evidence-Informed and Expert Consensus-Based Classification with Clinical Application. Valle X, Alentorn-Geli E, Tol JL, Hamilton B, Garrett WE Jr, Pruna R, Til L, Gutierrez JA, Alomar X, Balius R, Malliaropoulos N, Monllau JC, Whiteley R, Witvrouw E, Samuelsson K, Rodas G. Sports Med. 2017 Jul;47(7):1241-1253.
• Development and validation of a questionnaire (FASH--Functional Assessment Scale for Acute Hamstring Injuries): to measure the severity and impact of symptoms on function and sports ability in patients with acute hamstring injuries. Malliaropoulos N, Korakakis V, Christodoulou D, Padhiar N, Pyne D, Giakas G, Nauck T, Malliaras P, Lohrer H. Br J Sports Med. 2014 Dec;48(22):1607-12.
• Hamstring Muscle Injuries, a Rehabilitation Protocol Purpose. Valle X, L Tol J, Hamilton B, Rodas G, Malliaras P, Malliaropoulos N, Rizo V, Moreno M, Jardi J. Asian J Sports Med. 2015 Dec;6(4):e25411.
• Muscle and intensity based hamstring exercise classification in elite female track and field athletes: implications for exercise selection during rehabilitation. Tsaklis P, Malliaropoulos N, Mendiguchia J, Korakakis V, Tsapralis K, Pyne D, Malliaras P. Open Access J Sports Med. 2015 Jun 26;6:209-17.
• Hamstring exercises for track and field athletes: injury and exercise biomechanics, and possible implications for exercise selection and primary prevention. Malliaropoulos N, Mendiguchia J, Pehlivanidis H, Papadopoulou S, Valle X, Malliaras P, Maffulli N. Br J Sports Med. 2012 Sep;46(12):846-51.
• Nonuniform changes in MRI measurements of the thigh muscles after two hamstring strengthening exercises. Mendiguchia J, Garrues MA, Cronin JB, Contreras B, Los Arcos A, Malliaropoulos N, Maffulli N, Idoate F. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Mar;27(3):574-81.
• Non contact Hamstring injuries in sports. Malliaropoulos NG. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2013 Jan 21;2(4):309-11. Print 2012 Oct.
• High-speed running type or stretching-type of hamstring injuries makes a difference to treatment and prognosis. Askling CM, Malliaropoulos N, Karlsson J. Br J Sports Med. 2012 Feb;46(2):86-7.
• Reinjury after acute posterior thigh muscle injuries in elite track and field athletes. Malliaropoulos N, Isinkaye T, Tsitas K, Maffulli N. Am J Sports Med. 2011 Feb;39(2):304-10.
• Posterior thigh muscle injuries in elite track and field athletes. Malliaropoulos N, Papacostas E, Kiritsi O, Papalada A, Gougoulias N, Maffulli N. Am J Sports Med. 2010 Sep;38(9):1813-9.
• Active knee range of motion assessment in elite track and field athletes: normative values. Malliaropoulos N, Kakoura L, Tsitas K, Christodoulou D, Siozos A, Malliaras P, Maffulli N. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2015 Oct 20;5(3):203-7.
• The role of stretching in rehabilitation of hamstring injuries: 80 athletes follow-up. Malliaropoulos N, Papalexandris S, Papalada A, Papacostas E. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004 May;36(5):756-9.
• Soft tissue injuries are still a challenge in musculoskeletal sports and exercise medicine. Malliaropoulos N, Ghrairi M, Zerguini Y, Padhiar N. Br J Sports Med. 2016 Dec;50(24):1487. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-097171. PMID: 27899377 No abstract available.
  
  ESWT
  
  
• Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) for coccydynia: a prospective study of 14 patients. 
  Lota KS, Malliaropoulos N, Bikos G, Lohrer H. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023 Aug 4;85(10):4656-4661. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001133. eCollection 2023 Oct. PMID: 37811013 
• What are patients' knowledge, expectation and experience of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of their tendinopathies? A qualitative study. Leung R, Malliaropoulos N, Korakakis V, Padhiar N. J Foot Ankle Res. 2018 Apr 5;11:11. doi: 10.1186/s13047-018-0254-5. eCollection 2018. PMID: 29632559 Free PMC article.
• The effectiveness of extracorporeal shockwave therapy in common lower limb conditions: a systematic review including quantification of patient-rated pain reduction. Korakakis V, Whiteley R, Tzavara A, Malliaropoulos N. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Mar;52(6):387-407.
• Individualised radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) for symptomatic calcific shoulder tendinopathy: a retrospective clinical study. Malliaropoulos N, Thompson D, Meke M, Pyne D, Alaseirlis D, Atkinson H, Korakakis V, Lohrer H. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2017 Dec 6;18(1):513.
• Sesamoid osteonecrosis treated with radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Thompson D, Malliaropoulos N, Padhiar N. BMJ Case Rep. 2017 May 22;2017:bcr2017219191.
• Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of finger tenosynovitis (trigger digit). Malliaropoulos N, Jury R, Pyne D, Padhiar N, Turner J, Korakakis V, Meke M, Lohrer H. Open Access J Sports Med. 2016 Oct 31;7:143-151.
• Historical ESWT Paradigms Are Overcome: A Narrative Review. Lohrer H, Nauck T, Korakakis V, Malliaropoulos N. Biomed Res Int. 2016;2016:3850461.
• Success and Recurrence Rate after Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Plantar Fasciopathy: A Retrospective Study. Malliaropoulos N, Crate G, Meke M, Korakakis V, Nauck T, Lohrer H, Padhiar N. Biomed Res Int. 2016;2016:9415827.
• Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for patients suffering from recalcitrant Osgood-Schlatter disease. Lohrer H, Nauck T, Schöll J, Zwerver J, Malliaropoulos N. Sportverletz Sportschaden. 2012 Dec;26(4):218-22. doi: 10.1055/s-0032-1325478. Epub 2012 Oct 9.
  
  BONE STRESS INJURIES
  
  
• Therapeutic ultrasound related pain threshold in elite track & field athletes with tibial bone stress injuries. Malliaropoulos N, Bikos G, Tsifountoudis I, Alaseirlis D, Christodoulou D, Padhiar N, Maffulli N. Surgeon. 2023 Aug;21(4):225-229. doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2022.06.002. Epub 2022 Aug 2. PMID: 35927163
• Therapeutic Ultrasound in Navicular Stress Injuries in Elite Track and Field Athletes. Malliaropoulos N, Alaseirlis D, Konstantinidis G, Papalada A, Tsifountoudis I, Petras K, Maffulli N. Clin J Sport Med. 2017 May;27(3):278-282.
• Osteitis pubis: can early return to elite competition be contemplated? Jardí J, Rodas G, Pedret C, Til L, Cusí M, Malliaropoulos N, Del Buono A, Maffulli N. Transl Med UniSa. 2014 Apr 8;10:52-8.
• Ultrasound as a primary evaluation tool of bone stress injuries in elite track and field athletes. Papalada A, Malliaropoulos N, Tsitas K, Kiritsi O, Padhiar N, Del Buono A, Maffulli N. Am J Sports Med. 2012 Apr;40(4):915-9.
• Therapeutic ultrasound related pain threshold in elite track & field athletes with tibial bone stress injuries. Malliaropoulos N, Bikos G, Tsifountoudis I, Alaseirlis D, Christodoulou D, Padhiar N, Maffulli N. Surgeon. 2022 Aug
  
  ACL
  
  
• Periodization in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rehabilitation: New Framework Versus Old Model? A Clinical Commentary. Kakavas G, Forelli F, Malliaropoulos N, Hewett TE, Tsaklis P. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2023 Apr 1;18(2):541-546. doi: 10.26603/001c.73035. eCollection 2023. PMID: 37020434 
• Ball heading and subclinical concussion in soccer as a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament injury. Kakavas G, Malliaropoulos N, Blach W, Bikos G, Migliorini F, Maffulli N. J Orthop Surg Res. 2021 Sep 19;16(1):566. doi: 10.1186/s13018-021-02711-z. PMID: 34538251 Free PMC article. Review.
• Periodization in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rehabilitation: A Novel Framework. Kakavas G, Malliaropoulos N, Bikos G, Pruna R, Valle X, Tsaklis P, Maffulli N. Med Princ Pract. 2021;30(2):101-108.
• Neuroplasticity and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury. Kakavas G, Malliaropoulos N, Pruna R, Traster D, Bikos G, Maffulli N. Indian J Orthop. 2020 Jan 31;54(3):275-280.
  
  EUROPEAN COLLABORATION
  
  
• Role of pan-national associations such as the European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP) in advancing the specialty of sports and exercise medicine in the 21st century. Scheer V, Lohrer H, Pakravan A, Tsapralis K, Valle X, Ghrairi M, Bueno Padilla JM, Malliaropoulos N, Maffulli N, Knechtle B, Heron N. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2023 Oct 29;9(4):e001703. 
• International differences in sport medicine access and clinical management. Heron N, Malliaropoulos NG. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2013 Jan 21;2(4):248-52.
• ECOSEP: bringing the European SEM family together. West L, Malliaropoulos N, de Jonge S. Br J Sports Med. 2014 Dec;48(22):1585.
• The European Association for Sports Dentistry, Academy for Sports Dentistry, European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians consensus statement on sports dentistry integration in sports medicine. Stamos A, Mills S, Malliaropoulos N, Cantamessa S, Dartevelle JL, Gündüz E, Laubmeier J, Hoy J, Kakavas G, Le Garrec S, Kaux JF, Ghrairi M, Lohrer H, Engels-Deutsch M. Dent Traumatol. 2020 Dec;36(6):680-684.
  
  EILP
  
  
• Exercise-induced leg pain in sport. Padhiar N, Malliaropoulos N, Lohrer H. Br J Sports Med. 2015 Dec;49(24):1546-7. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095163. PMID: 26626716 No abstract available.
• Exercise-induced leg pain in athletes: diagnostic, assessment, and management strategies. Lohrer H, Malliaropoulos N, Korakakis V, Padhiar N. Phys Sportsmed. 2019 Feb;47(1):47-59.
• Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Exercise-Induced Leg Pain Questionnaire for English- and Greek-Speaking Individuals. Korakakis V, Malliaropoulos N, Baliotis K, Papadopoulou S, Padhiar N, Nauck T, Lohrer H. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2015 Jun;45(6):485-96.
  
  ANKLE
  
  
• How Subtalar Kinematics Affects Knee Laxity in Soccer Players After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury?. Kakavas G, Malliaropoulos NG, Forelli F, Mazeas J, Skarpas G, Maffuli N. Cureus. 2023 Oct 28;15(10):e47850. doi: 10.7759/cureus.47850. eCollection 2023 Oct. PMID: 38021974 
• Reinjury after acute lateral ankle sprains in elite track and field athletes. Malliaropoulos N, Ntessalen M, Papacostas E, Longo UG, Maffulli N. Am J Sports Med. 2009 Sep;37(9):1755-61.
• Acute lateral ankle sprains in track and field athletes: an expanded classification. Malliaropoulos N, Papacostas E, Papalada A, Maffulli N. Foot Ankle Clin. 2006 Sep;11(3):497-507.
• Validation of Ottawa ankle rules protocol in Greek athletes: study in the emergency departments of a district general hospital and a sports injuries clinic. Papacostas E, Malliaropoulos N, Papadopoulos A, Liouliakis C. Br J Sports Med. 2001 Dec;35(6):445-7.
  
  TENDINOPATHY
  
  
• Cross-cultural adaptation of the VISA-P questionnaire for Greek-speaking patients with patellar tendinopathy. Korakakis V, Patsiaouras A, Malliaropoulos N. Br J Sports Med. 2014 Dec;48(22):1647-52.
• Arthroscopic treatment of chronic patellar tendinopathy in high-level athletes. Alaseirlis DA, Konstantinidis GA, Malliaropoulos N, Nakou LS, Korompilias A, Maffulli N. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2013 Jan 21;2(4):267-72.
  
  Laser
• Low-level laser therapy in meniscal pathology: a double-blinded placebo-controlled trial. Malliaropoulos N, Kiritsi O, Tsitas K, Christodoulou D, Akritidou A, Del Buono A, Maffulli N. Lasers Med Sci. 2013 Jul;28(4):1183-8.
• Ultrasonographic evaluation of plantar fasciitis after low-level laser therapy: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Kiritsi O, Tsitas K, Malliaropoulos N, Mikroulis G. Lasers Med Sci. 2010 Mar;25(2):275-81.
  
  AI
  
  
• Artificial intelligence: A tool for sports trauma prediction. Kakavas G, Malliaropoulos N, Pruna R, Maffulli N. Injury. 2020 Aug;51 Suppl 3:S63-S65.
  
  LBP
  
  
• Mechanical Low Back Pain in Elite Track and Field Athletes: An observational cohort study. Malliaropoulos N, Bikos G, Meke M, Tsifountoudis I, Pyne D, Korakakis V. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2017 Aug 3;30(4):681-689.

Collaborators

• European College of Sports Physicians