Karen May

Karen is the academic lead for Performance and Rehabilitation Medicine and is responsible for the development of Post Graduate medical education in Sports Medicine, Musculoskeletal Management and Lifestyle Medicine. Working closely with the Allied Health Research Unit Karen has published across a wide variety of topics aligned to Sports Medicine and Musculoskeletal management.

Since qualifying as a physiotherapist in 1990 Karen has held a number of different positions working both in the NHS and private sector. In 1995 she became the Head Physiotherapist to Bradford Bulls RLFC, a position she held for three years before having a year out working with England Junior Women Basketball. In 1999 she joined Huddersfield giants RLFC as Head Physiotherapist and joined the physiotherapy books of UK Athletics in 2001/02. Karen has run her own private practice for a number of years providing physiotherapy treatment for a wide range of professional footballers, athletes, squash, rugby players from union and league, and Olympic athletes from several disciplines. She is currently the physiotherapist of choice for many England and British Fell & Mountain runners. Karen is co-founder of the West Yorkshire ACL group set up to maintain and improve standards of practice in the treatment and rehabilitation of ACL deficient and reconstructed knees.

After completing her MSc in Sports Medicine at the University Of Nottingham in 1997, Karen taught on the undergraduate sports science degree program at Leeds Metropolitan University. She also lectured for Sports coach UK in the development of power and speed.

Karen joined the University of Central Lancashire as Senior Lecturer Sports Therapy in 2005 completing her PGCE L&THE in 2009. She became Principal Lecturer & Academic Lead for the Division of Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy in 2012. She developed several new programmes alongside setting up and managing the on-site University of Central Lancashire Physiotherapy Clinic. In 2018, Karen joined the School of Medicine and Dentistry as Principal Lecturer. She has developed Post Graduate medical education in Sports Medicine, Musculoskeletal Management and Lifestyle Medicine.

Karen is a member of the University review panel and is actively involved in course validation and development events, and has been a serving member of the University's Academic Board.