Our research
All of our studies – all in one place – recruiting all over the world.
Finding out how best to treat a minor wrist fracture, deciding on surgery for childhood hip disease, or seeking ways to reduce the necessity for spinal scoliosis surgery in adolescents - we’ve got research to help.
Ongoing NIHR research lead by our team
SCIENCE
Surgery or Casts for Injuries of the Epicondyle in Children’s Elbows? Result - Spring 2025.
CRAFFT
Is Surgery Necessary for the Treatment of Displaced Wrist Fractures in Children? Recruiting Now.
BIG BOSS
Stabilisation or Reconstruction for Adolescents with the Hip Disease, Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis? Recruiting Now.
PIC Bone
Optimising the Treatment of Bone and Joint Infection in Children. Recruiting Now.
CURLY
Cefalexin for UTIs – Right treatment Length in Young children.
A multi-centre, randomised trial to determine the optimal duration of cefalexin therapy for the treatment of febrile urinary tract infections in children.
BASIS
Night Brace or Full Time Brace amongst Adolescents with a Scoliosis of the Spine. Recruiting Now.
ODD SOCKS
Is Surgery Necessary for the Treatment of Displaced Ankle Fractures in Children? Recruiting Now.
OP NON STOP
Surgical Containment or Optimised Non-Surgical Containment in the Treatment of Perthes’ Disease. Recruiting Now.
SMARTIE (SMART-Integrating Evidence)
1 in 1000 babies are born with a completely dislocated hip, and more with minor dysplasia. Although there is a national screening programme, the national screening committee have acknowledged that two-thirds of dislocated hips are missed by current policy. Even when diagnosed, there is no agreement concerning treatment pathways. Trials are needed to develop the evidence to inform screening and treatment policy.
NHS England have recently changed the NIPE system to collect the BSCOS Core Measurement Set (for everyone) and treatment details (for all hospitals that sign up). There are 500,000 babies per year, so screening trials will take a few months if everyone joins in. This will enable world-leading observational studies and data-enabled trials through routine care, in a pathway that affects almost every baby born throughout the world.
Watch the study introduction (opens pop-up window containing video)
NIHR / NIH research that our team are co-applicants
ROBUST
Comparing muscle strengthening to usual therapy amongst adolescents with cerebral palsy. Recruiting Now.
SPELL
Comparing dynamic stretching to usual therapy amongst children with cerebral palsy. Recruiting Now.
COMET
Surgery or Casts for Injuries of the Epicondyle in Children’s Elbows? Result - Recruiting Now.
DRIFT
Is Surgery Necessary for the Treatment of Displaced Wrist Fractures in Children. Recruiting Now.
Completed research
BOSS SCFE
BOSS involved 143 hospitals in the UK, with real collaborative research for the first time. The aim of this study was to inform the epidemiology and treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) using an anonymized comprehensive cohort study, with a nested consented cohort. Patients were cross-checked against national administrative data and potential missing patients were identified. Clinician-reported outcomes were collected until two years. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected for a subset of participants.
BOSS PERTHES
The aim of the BOSS Perthes’ study was to evaluate the epidemiology and treatment of Perthes’ disease of the hip. This was an anonymized comprehensive cohort study of Perthes’ disease, with a nested consented cohort. A total of 143 of 144 hospitals treating children’s hip disease in the UK participated over an 18-month period. Clinician-reported outcomes were collected until two years. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected for a subset of participants.
FORCE
Optimising the treatment of torus fractures of the wrist in children. Read our Lancet publication, download the FORCE pathway and use our patient information sheets, translated into 8 languages.