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    Nicky van Melick, PhD

    Former ACL researcher, lecturer & sports physiotherapist with special interest in knee and ACL rehab
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    17 years
    experience
    KneeSearch
    company
    Heesch, Netherlands
    location
    ACL Professionals / Scientist / Nicky van Melick, PhD
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    About Nicky van Melick, PhD

    For many years, my work focused on the intersection of scientific research, education, and clinical practice in patients with knee injuries, mainly ACL injuries. As part of Team ACL, I was active as an ACL researcher, lecturer, and sports physiotherapist, working with athletes, clinicians and researchers worldwide.


    Throughout my career, I repeatedly saw how early and accurate diagnosis of acute knee injuries can make a crucial difference in recovery, long-term outcomes, and return to sport. This motivated me to translate my scientific and clinical experience into a practical online course for fellow professionals.


    So I present to you: my Online Course: Diagnosing and Managing Acute Knee Injuries.

    I developed this evidence-based, practice-oriented course for physiotherapists and health professionals who want to strengthen their clinical reasoning and decision-making in acute knee trauma. The course focuses on:

    • Systematic and reliable clinical assessment of acute knee injuries

    • Recognizing red flags and serious pathology

    • Making well-founded management and referral decisions

    • Applying current scientific evidence directly to daily practice




    Even though I am stepping back from my active professional career, I remain passionate about sharing knowledge that helps clinicians improve patient care and clinical outcomes.
    “Without taking risks, you always lose.”
    Address

    Heesch
    Netherlands

    Website: physio-zentrum.at/kurs/diagnosing-acute-knee-injuries/

    Publications

    • 2026 - Kelders L, van Melick N, Warren T, Bogie R. A, U or zigzag? Athletes with ACL reconstruction follow three major psychological patterns: results from a retrospective evaluation of a local ACL register. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2026;34(1):72-82.
    • 2025 - Prill R, Ma CB, Wong SE, Beaufils P, Monllau GC, Arhos EK, Becker R, Della Villa F, Goodloe JB, Irrgang JL, Klugarova J, Klosterman EL, Królikowska A, Krych AJ, LaPrade RF, Manske R, van Melick N, Monson JK, Ostojic M, Paterno MV, Piontek T, Perelli S, Rambaud A, Robinson J, Schmitt LC, Senorski EH, Snaebjornsson T, Tagliero AJ, Giordano AO, Pujol N. The formal EU-US meniscus rehabilitation 2024 consensus: an ESSKA-AOSSM-AASPT initiative: part II – Prevention, non-operative treatment and return to sport. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Artrhosc 2025;33(8):3014-3024.
    • 2025 - Rommers N, Longé L, Debecker W, Peeters N, Tassignon B, Huysmans E, Putman K, Vanlauwe J, Beckwée D, van Melick N, Eechaute C. The socio-economic cost of anterior cruciate ligament injuries and lateral ankle sprains in amateur football and basketball. J Athl Train 2025;60(11):806-813.
    • 2025 - Norris R, Price A, Byrne J, Pulford S, van Melick N, Maddox TW, Boswell W, Kerin C, Oldershaw RA. The lever sign test demonstrates limited clinical utility for diagnosing full-thickness anterior cruciate ligament tears after a traumatic knee injury. Orthop J Sports Med 2025;13(5):23259671251334775.
    • 2025 - Prill R, Janosky J, Bode L, van Melick N, Della Villa F, Becker R, Karlsson J, Gudas R, Gokeler A, Jones H, Seil R, Tscholl P, Patt T. Prevention of ACL injury is better than repair or reconstruction – implementing the ESSKA-ESMA ‘Prevention for All’ ACL programme. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2025;33(6):1954-1958.
    • 2025 - Forelli F, Marine P, Moiroux-Sahraoui A, Mazeas J, Thoelen M, Swinnen B, Bizzini M, van Melick N, Rambaud A. Velocity-based training in mid- and late-stage rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a narrative review and practice guidelines. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2025;11(2):e002503.
    • 2025 - Pujol N, Giordano AO, Wong SE, Beaufils P, Monllau GC, Arhos EK, Becker R, Della Villa F, Goodloe JB, Irrgang JL, Klugarova J, Klosterman EL, Królikowska A, Krych AJ, LaPrade RF, Manske R, van Melick N, Monson JK, Ostojic M, Paterno MV, Piontek T, Perelli S, Rambaud A, Robinson J, Schmitt LC, Senorski EH, Snaebjornsson T, Tagliero AJ, Ma CB, Prill R. The formal EU-US meniscus rehabilitation 2024 consensus: an ESSKA-AOSSM-AASPT initiative: part I – rehabilitation management after meniscus surgery (meniscectomy, repair and reconstruction). Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2025;33(8):3002-3013.
    • 2025 - van Melick N, Senorski EH, Królikowska A, Prill R. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction rehabilitation: decades of change. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2025;33(4):1178-1182.
    • 2024 - Arens T, van Melick N, van der Steen MC, Janssen RPA, Bogie R. Influence of female sex and double-quadruple semitendinosus-gracilis graft on the incidence of postoperative cyclops lesions after ACL reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2024;32(6):1414-1422.
    • 2024 - van Melick N, van der Weegen W, van der Horst N, Bogie R. Double-leg and single-leg jump test reference values for athletes with and without anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction who play popular pivoting sports, including soccer and basketball: a scoping review. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2024;54(6):1-14.
    • 2024 - Sayer TA, van Melick N, Riera J, Jackson J, Bryant A, Bogie R, Cross N, Edouard P, Rambaud A. Is it time to develop specific return to running criteria for ACL rehabilitation? An international survey of physiotherapists criteria for return to running following ACL injury. Phys Ther Sport 2024;67:19-24.
    • 2023 - Boots N, van Melick N, Bogie R. A hamstring autograft diameter of ≤ 8 mm is a safe option for smaller, lighter and female athletes who want to return to pivoting sports after ACL reconstruction. Results from a retrospective evaluation of a local ACL register. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2023;31(12):5830-5836.
    • 2023 - van Melick N, Sierevelt IN, Agricola R, Webster KE, Bogie R. The Dutch language short Anterior Cruciate Ligament - Return to Sport after Injury scale (short ACL-RSI-NL) has good to excellent construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability when assessing athletes undergoing rehabilitation after ACL injury or ACL reconstruction. J ISAKOS 2023;8(6):412-419.
    • 2023 - van Melick N, Dietvorst M, van Oort MIAM, Claessens RLA, Janssen RPA, Bogie R. Anterior cruciate ligament rehabiliation for the 10- to 18-year-old adolescent athlete: practice guidelines based on International Delphi consensus. Orthop J Sports Med 2023;11(7):23259671231172454.
    • 2023 - van Haren IEPM, van Cingel REH, Verbeek ALM, van Melick N, Stubbe JH, Bloo H, Groenewoud JHMM, van der Wees PJ, Staal JB. Predicting readiness for return to sport and performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction rehabilitation. Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2023;66(3):101689.
    • 2022 - Gilsing AH, Lamers D, de Kort GJL, van Melick N. Surgical and physical therapy management for a medial ankle ganglion with extra-articular fibrosis in a speed skater: a case report. JOSPT Cases 2022;2(3):132-140.
    • 2022 - Rommers N, Rössler R, Tassignon B, Verschueren J, De Ridder R, van Melick N, Longé L, Hendrikx T, Vaes P, Beckwée D, Eechaute C. Most amateur football teams do not implement essential components of neuromuscular training to prevent anterior cruciate ligament injuries and lateral ankle sprains. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2022;30(4):1169-1179.
    • 2022 - van Melick N, Pronk Y, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MWG, Rutten B, van Tienen TG, Hoogeboom TJ. Meeting movement quantity or quality return to sport criteria is associated with reduced second ACL injury rate. J Orthop Res 2022;40(1):117-128.
    • 2022 - van Melick N, van der Weegen W, van der Horst N. Quadriceps and hamstrings strength reference values for athletes with and without anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction who play popular pivoting sports, including soccer, basketball, and handball: a scoping review. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2022;52(3):142-155.
    • 2021 - van Arkel ERA, Koëter S, Rijk PC, van Tienen TG, Vincken PWJ, Segers MJM, van Essen B, van Melick N, Stegeman BH. Dutch Guideline on Knee Arthroscopy Part 1, the meniscus: a multidisciplinary review by the Dutch Orthopaedic Association. Acta Orthop 2021;92(1):74-80.
    • 2021 - Koëter S, van Tienen TG, Rijk PC, Vincken PWJ, Segers MJM, van Essen B, van Melick N, Stegeman BH, van Arkel ERA. Dutch Guideline on Knee Arthroscopy Part 2, non-meniscus intra-articular knee injury: a multidisciplinary review by the Dutch Orthopaedic Association. Acta Orthop 2021;92(1):81-84.
    • 2020 - van Melick N, Hoogeboom TJ, Pronk Y, Rutten B, van Tienen TG, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MWG, van Cingel REH. Less than half of ACL-reconstructed athletes are cleared for return to play based on practice guideline criteria: results from a prospective cohort study. Int J Sports Phys Ther 2020;15(6):1006-1018.
    • 2020 - Dietvorst M, Brzoskowski MH, van der Steen M, Delvaux E, Janssen RPA, van Melick N. Limited evidence for return to sport testing after ACL reconstruction in children and adolescents under 16 years: a scoping review. J Exp Orthop 2020;7:83.
    • 2020 - van Lankveld W, Pat-El RJ, van Melick N, van Cingel R, Staal JB. Is Fear of Harm (FoH) in Sports-Related Activities a Latent Trait? The Item Response Model Applied to the Photographic Series of Sports Activities for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture (PHOSA-ACLR). Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020;17:6764.
    • 2019 - van Lankveld W, van Melick N, Habets B, Pronk Y, Staal JB, van Cingel R. Cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of the Dutch knee self efficacy scale (K-SES). BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation 2019;11:3.
    • 2019 - van Melick N, van Rijn L, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MWG, Hoogeboom TJ, van Cingel REH. Fatigue affects quality of movement more in ACL-reconstructed soccer players than in healthy soccer players. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2019;27(2):549-555.
    • 2018 - Janssen RPA, van Melick N, van Mourik JBA, Reijman M, van Rhijn LW. ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon autograft and accelerated brace-free rehabilitation: a systematic review of clinical outcomes. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 2018;4:e00030.
    • 2017 - van Melick N, Meddeler BM, Hoogeboom TJ, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MWG, van Cingel REH. How to determine leg dominance: The agreement between self-reported and observed performance in healthy adults. PLoS ONE 2017;12(12):e0189876.
    • 2017 - Janssen RPA, van Melick N, van Mourik JBA, Reijman M, van Rhijn LW. Similar clinical outcome between patellar tendon and hamstring tendon autograft after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with accelerated brace-free rehabilitation: a systematic review. JISAKOS 2017;0:1-10.
    • 2017 - van Lankveld W, van Melick N, Habets B, Roelofsen E, Staal JB, van Cingel R. Measuring individual hierarchy of anxiety invoking sports related activities: development and validation of the Photographic Series of Sports Activities for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (PHOSA-ACLR). BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2017;18:287.
    • 2016 - van Melick N, van Cingel REH, Brooijmans F, Neeter C, van Tienen T, Hullegie W, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MWG. Evidence-based clinical practice update: practice guidelines for anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation based on a systematic review and multidisciplinary consensus. Br J Sports Med 2016;50(24):1506-1515.
    • 2017 - Engelen-van Melick N, van Cingel REH, van Tienen TG, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MW. Functional performance 2-9 years after ACL reconstruction: Cross-sectional comparison between athletes with bone-patellar tendon-bone, semitendinosus/gracilis and healthy controls. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2017;25(5):1412-1423.
    • 2013 - Engelen-van Melick N, van Cingel RE, Tijssen MP, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MW. Assessment of functional performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review of measurement procedures. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2013;21(4):869-879.
    • 2011 - Tijssen M, van Cingel R, van Melick N, de Visser E. Patient-reported outcome questionnaires for hip arthroscopy: a systematic review of the psychometric evidence. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2011;12:117.
    • 2009 - van Cingel R, van Melick N, van Doren L, Aufdemkampe G. Intra-examiner reproducibility of ankle inversion-eversion isokinetic strength in healthy subjects. Isokinetics and Exercise Science 2009;17:181-188.