APH researcher Alexander Hoorntje received the Anna Fonds | NOREF PhD-award for the best orthopaedic PhD-thesis of 2021. Alexander’s PhD-thesis describes how surgery and rehabilitation of younger active knee osteoarthritis patients can be improved to enhance their postoperative participation, including work and sports.

Stichting Anna Fonds | NOREF (Netherlands Orthopedic Research and Education Fund) supports fellowships and scientific research. The jury applauded Alexander Hoorntje for "… an in-depth analysis of a growing societal problem, providing clear perspectives, emphasizing the importance of rehabilitation, and transcending academia by a strong involvement of orthopedic surgeons from general hospitals and clinics".

His promotores were Gino Kerkhoffs (professor Orthopedic surgery at Amsterdam UMC) and Paul Kuijer (associate professor at Amsterdam UMC). His copromotores were dr. Rutger van Geenen, working at the Amphia Hospital and dr. Ronald van Heerwaarden, working at the Clinic Via Sana.

Alexander’s PhD-thesis is entitled ‘Optimising treatment of younger, active knee osteoarthritis patients |- surgical options and functional outcomes’ [pdf]