Josefine Naili

Registered physiotherapist, specialist competence in orthopedics, PhD,  Associate Professor of Physiotherapy. Currently conducting research at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, and working clinically in the Motion Analysis Lab at Karolinska University Hospital. My clinical and research interests include evaluating the impact of musculoskeletal disease and injury on movement and gait patterns.

In 2017 I defended my thesis entitled: “Evaluation of function in individuals with knee osteoarthritis”. The overall aim of the thesis was to evaluate methods used to objectively assess function, including gait patterns, movement strategies, and performance-based function – in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

Affiliated to University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Department of Clinical Research, since 2020.

Ongoing research projects

• Physical function and capacity after limb-sparing surgery

Sarcoma is a group of tumors that arise in the body’s connective and supporting tissues and can affect people of all ages. A prerequisite for curing the disease is that the tumor is completely removed through surgery. Most often, it is possible to perform an operation in which the tumor and adjacent soft tissue are removed while still preserving the limb, instead of amputating it. This is called limb-sparing surgery. This research project aims to examine how patients feel and how their physical function and capacity are after such an operation. By measuring physical ability, activity level, quality of life, and the patients’ own experiences, we can determine what influences their recovery. With this knowledge, we can improve rehabilitation and provide better support to future patients.

• BIOFUNC - A clinical and molecular biobank for knee osteoarthritis

 Using a multi-modal approach including plasma proteomics, biomechanical assessments of knee function, and patient-reported outcomes we will develop prediction models of disease progression to enable identification of high risk individuals with signs of rapid osteoarthritis progression.

• The recurrent clubfoot: At the Motion Analysis Lab, Karolinska University Hospital, we have set up a structured system for longitudinal surveillance of children with clubfoot. The structured follow-up includes clinical examination of active and passive foot joint range of motion, video analysis of walking and functional movements (with simultaneous recording of the frontal and sagittal plane), and evaluation of dynamic foot pressure using pedobarography. We want to determine which of these methods display the highest sensitivity to change and is best suited to detect early signs of recurrence.