Dr Alex Ireland
Reader in Musculoskeletal Physiology
My profile
Biography
My research focuses on work with human participants, examining the effects of mechanical loading on bones and joints across lifespan, from prenatal movements to exercise in old age. In addition, neuromuscular health and function in healthy and clinical populations of different ages. In particular, my work has examined the key role that prenatal and infant movements play in skeletal development.
Academic service
Theme Lead, Musculoskeletal Function in Health and Ageing, Musculoskeletal Science and Sports Medicine Research Centre
Co-Chair, ECTS Academy
Associate Editor, Bone Reports
Editor, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
Member, International Society for Children’s Bone Health Steering Committee
Interests and expertise
My research work examines how our skeleton adapts to physical activity and disuse across the life course. This ranges from investigating how our fetal movements shape our bones and joints before joints, to assessing the impact of exercise in very old age on bone mass. I am also interested in the influence of muscle on the skeleton, and conversely how neuromuscular function is affected in individuals with skeletal pathologies. Finally, I have a broader interest in musculoskeletal development and ageing.
Research outputs
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Journal articles
Montgomery, G., Yusuf, M., Cooper, R., Ireland, A. (2024) 'Are associations between physical activity and bone mineral density in adults sex- and age-dependent? An analysis of the UK biobank study.' Journal of Bone and Mineral Research,
Montgomery, G., Tobias, J.H., Paskins, Z., Khera, T.K., Huggins, C.J., Allison, S.J., Abasolo, D., Clark, E.M., Ireland, A. (2024) 'Daily Pain Severity but Not Vertebral Fractures Is Associated With Lower Physical Activity in Postmenopausal Women With Back Pain.' Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, pp. 1-10.
Scorcelletti, M., Zange, J., Böcker, J., Sies, W., Lau, P., Mittag, U., Reeves, N.D., Ireland, A., Rittweger, J. (2023) 'Associations between long-term exercise participation and lower limb joint and whole-bone geometry in young and older adults.' Frontiers in Physiology, 14pp. 1150562-1150562.
Ireland, A., Riddell, A., Colombo, A., Ross-Russell, R., Prentice, A., Ward, K.A. (2023) 'Development of musculoskeletal deficits in children with cystic fibrosis in later childhood.' Bone, 170pp. 116657-116657.
Abdelrahman, S., Purcell, M., Rantalainen, T., Coupaud, S., Ireland, A. (2023) 'Regional and temporal variation in bone loss during the first year following spinal cord injury.' Bone, 171pp. 116726-116726.
Abdelrahman, S., Purcell, M., Rantalainen, T., Coupaud, S., Ireland, A. (2022) 'Fibula response to disuse: a longitudinal analysis in people with spinal cord injury.' Archives of Osteoporosis, 17(1) pp. 51-51.
Brotto, M., Invernizzi, M., Ireland, A., Klein, G.L. (2022) 'Editorial: Osteoporosis and the Role of Muscle.' Frontiers in Endocrinology, 13pp. 951298-951298.
Scorcelletti, M., Kara, S., Zange, J., Jordan, J., Semler, O., Schönau, E., Rittweger, J., Ireland, A., Seefried, L. (2022) 'Lower limb bone geometry in adult individuals with X-linked hypophosphatemia: an observational study.' Osteoporosis International, 33(7) pp. 1601-1611.
Orlando, G., Bubbear, J., Clarke, S., Keen, R., Roy, M., Anilkumar, A., Schini, M., Walsh, J.S., Javaid, M.K., Ireland, A. (2022) 'Physical function and physical activity in adults with X-linked hypophosphatemia.' Osteoporosis International, 33(7) pp. 1485-1491.
Guo, Y., Piasecki, J., Swiecicka, A., Ireland, A., Phillips, B.E., Atherton, P.J., Stashuk, D., Rutter, M.K., McPhee, J.S., Piasecki, M. (2021) 'Circulating testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone are associated with individual motor unit features in untrained and highly active older men.' Geroscience, 44(3) pp. 1215-1228.
Lombardi, G., Paganelli, R., Abate, M., Ireland, A., Molino-Lova, R., Sorbi, S., Macchi, C., Pellegrino, R., Di Iorio, A., Cecchi, F. (2021) 'Leukocyte-derived ratios are associated with late-life any type dementia: a cross-sectional analysis of the Mugello study.' Geroscience, 43(6) pp. 2785-2793.
Ireland, A., Riddell, A., Prentice, A., Eelloo, J., Mughal, M.Z., Ward, K.A. (2021) 'Development of tibia & fibula bone deficits in children with neurofibromatosis type I – A longitudinal case-control comparison.' Bone, 154pp. 116183-116183.
Ireland, A., Mittag, U., Degens, H., Felsenberg, D., Heinonen, A., Koltai, E., Korhonen, M.T., McPhee, J.S., Mekjavic, I., Pisot, R., Rawer, R., Radak, Z., Simunic, B., Suominen, H., Rittweger, J. (2021) 'Age-Related Declines in Lower Limb Muscle Function are Similar in Power and Endurance Athletes of Both Sexes: A Longitudinal Study of Master Athletes.' Calcified Tissue International, 110(2) pp. 196-203.
Orlando, G., Reeves, N.D., Boulton, A.J.M., Ireland, A., Federici, G., Federici, A., Haxhi, J., Pugliese, G., Balducci, S. (2021) 'Sedentary behaviour is an independent predictor of diabetic foot ulcer development: An 8-Year prospective study..' Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 177
Jones, E.J., Piasecki, J., Ireland, A., Stashuk, D.W., Atherton, P.J., Phillips, B.E., McPhee, J.S., Piasecki, M. (2021) 'Lifelong exercise is associated with more homogeneous motor unit potential features across deep and superficial areas of vastus lateralis.' Geroscience, 43(4) pp. 1555-1565.
Di Iorio, A., Paganelli, R., Abate, M., Barassi, G., Ireland, A., Macchi, C., Molino-Lova, R., Cecchi, F. (2020) 'Thyroid hormone signaling is associated with physical performance, muscle mass, and strength in a cohort of oldest-old: results from the Mugello study.' Geroscience, 43(2) pp. 1053-1064.
Abdelrahman, S., Ireland, A., Winter, E., Purcell, M., Coupaud, S. (2020) 'Osteoporosis after spinal cord injury: aetiology, effects and therapeutic approaches.' The Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 21(1) pp. 26-50.
Valkama, S., Holmlund-Suila, E., Ireland, A., Hauta-alus, H., Enlund-Cerullo, M., Rosendahl, J., Andersson, S., Mäkitie, O. (2020) 'Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) in 12- and 24-month-old children – Practical aspects and descriptive data.' Bone, 141pp. 115670-115670.
Orlando, G., Pinedo-Villanueva, R., Reeves, N.D., Javaid, M.K., Ireland, A. (2020) 'Physical function in UK adults with osteogenesis imperfecta: a cross-sectional analysis of the RUDY study.' Osteoporosis International, 32(1) pp. 157-164.
Scorcelletti, M., Reeves, N.D., Rittweger, J., Ireland, A. (2020) 'Femoral anteversion: significance and measurement.' Journal of Anatomy, 237(5) pp. 811-826.
Ireland, A., Mittag, U., Degens, H., Felsenberg, D., Ferretti, J.L., Heinonen, A., Koltai, E., Korhonen, M.T., McPhee, J.S., Mekjavic, I., Piasecki, J., Pisot, R., Radak, Z., Simunic, B., Suominen, H., Wilks, D.C., Winwood, K., Rittweger, J. (2020) 'Greater maintenance of bone mineral content in male than female athletes and in sprinting and jumping than endurance athletes: a longitudinal study of bone strength in elite masters athletes..' Archives of Osteoporosis, 15(1) pp. 87-87.
Winter, E.M., Ireland, A., Butterfield, N.C., Haffner-Luntzer, M., Horcajada, M.N., Veldhuis-Vlug, A., Oei, L., Colaianni, G., Bonnet, N. (2020) 'Pregnancy and lactation, a challenge for the skeleton.' Endocrine Connections, 9(6) pp. R143-R157.
Frysz, M., Tobias, J.H., Lawlor, D.A., Aspden, R.M., Gregory, J.S., Ireland, A. (2020) 'Associations between prenatal indicators of mechanical loading and proximal femur shape: findings from a population-based study in ALSPAC offspring.' The Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 20(3) pp. 301-313.
Saunders, F.R., Gregory, J.S., Pavlova, A.V., Muthuri, S.G., Hardy, R.J., Martin, K.R., Barr, R.J., Adams, J.E., Kuh, D., Aspden, R.M., Cooper, R., Ireland, A. (2020) 'Motor development in infancy and spine shape in early old age: findings from a British birth cohort study.' Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 38(12) pp. 2740-2748.
Lüscher, S.H., Nocciolino, L.M., Pilot, N., Pisani, L., Ireland, A., Rittweger, J., Ferretti, J.L., Cointry, G.R., Capozza, R.F. (2019) 'Differences in the Cortical Structure of the Whole Fibula and Tibia Between Long-Distance Runners and Untrained Controls. Toward a Wider Conception of the Biomechanical Regulation of Cortical Bone Structure.' Frontiers in Endocrinology, 10
Piasecki, J., Ireland, A., Piasecki, M., Deere, K., Hannam, K., Tobias, J., McPhee, J.S. (2019) 'Comparison of muscle function, bone mineral density and body composition of early starting and later starting older masters athletes.' Frontiers in Physiology, 10(AUG)
Swiecicka, A., Piasecki, M., Stashuk, D.W., Ireland, A., Jones, D.A., Rutter, M.K., McPhee, J.S. (2019) 'Frailty phenotype and frailty index are associated with distinct neuromuscular electrophysiological characteristics in men.' Experimental Physiology, 104(8) pp. 1154-1161.
Tobias, J.H., Sayers, A., Deere, K.C., Heazell, A.E.P., Lawlor, D.A., Ireland, A. (2019) 'Breech presentation is associated with lower adolescent tibial bone strength.' Osteoporosis International,
Piasecki, M., Ireland, A., Piasecki, J., Degens, H., Stashuk, D.W., Swiecicka, A., Rutter, M.K., Jones, D.A., McPhee, J.S. (2019) 'Long-Term Endurance and Power Training May Facilitate Motor Unit Size Expansion to Compensate for Declining Motor Unit Numbers in Older Age..' Frontiers in Physiology, 10pp. 449-449.
Ireland, A., Saunders, F.R., Muthuri, S.G., Pavlova, A.V., Hardy, R.J., Martin, K.R., Barr, R.J., Adams, J.E., Kuh, D., Aspden, R.M., Gregory, J.S., Cooper, R. (2018) 'Age at onset of walking in infancy is associated with hip shape in early old age.' Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 34(3) pp. 455-463.
Rittweger, J., Ireland, A., Luscher, S., Nocciolino, L., Pilot, N., PIsani, L., Cointry, G., Ferretti, J., Capozza, R. (2018) 'Fibula: The Forgotten Bone-May It Provide Some Insight On a Wider Scope for Bone Mechanostat Control?.' Current Osteoporosis Reports,
Ireland, A.D., Crozier, S., Heazell, A., Ward, K., Godfrey, K., Inskip, H., Cooper, C., Harvey, N. (2018) 'Breech presentation is associated with lower bone mass and area: findings from the Southampton Women's Survey.' Osteoporosis International, 29(10) pp. 2275-2281.
Piasecki, J., McPhee, J.S., Hannam, K., Deere, K.C., Elhakeem, A., Piasecki, M., Degens, H., Tobias, J.H., Ireland, A. (2018) 'Hip and spine bone mineral density are greater in master sprinters, but not endurance runners compared with non-athletic controls..' Archives of osteoporosis, 13(1) pp. 1-9.
Piasecki, J.L., Ireland, A., Piasecki, M., Cameron, J., McPhee, J., Degens, H. (2018) 'The strength of weight-bearing bones is similar in amenorrheic and eumenorrheic elite long-distance runners.' Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 28(5) pp. 1559-1568.
Piasecki, M., Ireland, A., Piasecki, J., Stashuk, D.W., Swiecicka, A., Rutter, M.K., Jones, D.A., McPhee, J.S. (2018) 'Failure to expand the motor unit size to compensate for declining motor unit numbers distinguishes sarcopenic from non-sarcopenic older men.' Journal of Physiology, 596(9) pp. 1627-1637.
Piasecki, M., Ireland, A., Piasecki, J., Stashuk, D.W., McPhee, J., Jones, D.A. (2018) 'The reliability of methods to estimate the number and size of human motor units and their use with large limb muscles.' European Journal of Applied Physiology, 118(4) pp. 767-775.
Hart, N.H., Nimphius, S., Rantalainen, T., Ireland, A.D., Siafarakis, A., Newton, R.U. (2017) 'Mechanical basis of bone strength: influence of bone material, bone structure and muscle action.' The Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 17(3) pp. 114-139.
Ireland, A.D., Rittweger, J. (2017) 'Exercise for osteoporosis: how to navigate between overeagerness and defeatism.' The Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 17(3) pp. 155-161.
Ireland, A., Muthuri, S., Rittweger, J., Adams, J.E., Ward, K.A., Kuh, D., Cooper, R. (2017) 'Later Age at Onset of Independent Walking Is Associated With Lower Bone Strength at Fracture-Prone Sites in Older Men.' Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 32pp. 1209-1217.
Hannam, K., Deere, K.C., Hartley, A., Clark, E.M., Coulson, J., Ireland, A., Moss, C., Edwards, M.H., Dennison, E., Gaysin, T., Cooper, R., Wong, A., McPhee, J.S., Cooper, C., Kuh, D., Tobias, J.H. (2017) 'A novel accelerometer-based method to describe day-to-day exposure to potentially osteogenic vertical impacts in older adults: findings from a multi-cohort study.' Osteoporosis International, 28pp. 1001-1011.
Ireland, A., Capozza, R.F., Cointry, G.R., Nocciolino, L., Ferretti, J.L., Rittweger, J. (2016) 'Meagre effects of disuse on the human fibula are not explained by bone size or geometry.' Osteoporosis International, 28(2) pp. 633-641.
Piasecki, M., Ireland, A., Coulson, J., Stashuk, D.W., Hamilton-Wright, A., Swiecicka, A., Rutter, M.K., McPhee, J.S., Jones, D.A. (2016) 'Motor unit number estimates and neuromuscular transmission in the tibialis anterior of master athletes: evidence that athletic older people are not spared from age-related motor unit remodeling.' Physiological Reports, 4(19) pp. e12987-e12987.
Cointry, G.R., Nocciolino, L., Ireland, A., Hall, N.M., Kriechbaumer, A., Ferretti, J.L., Rittweger, J., Capozza, R.F. (2016) 'Structural differences in cortical shell properties between upper and lower human fibula as described by pQCT serial scans. A biomechanical interpretation.' Bone, 90pp. 185-194.
Deere, K.C., Hannam, K., Coulson, J., Ireland, A., McPhee, J.S., Moss, C., Edwards, M.H., Dennison, E., Cooper, C., Sayers, A., Lipperts, M., Grimm, B., Tobias, J.H. (2016) 'Quantifying Habitual Levels of Physical Activity According to Impact in Older People: Accelerometry Protocol for the VIBE Study..' Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 24
Pannérec, A., Springer, M., Migliavacca, E., Ireland, A., Piasecki, M., Karaz, S., Jacot, G., Métairon, S., Danenberg, E., Raymond, F., Descombes, P., McPhee, J.S., Feige, J.N. (2016) 'A robust neuromuscular system protects rat and human skeletal muscle from sarcopenia..' Aging, 8
Ireland, A. (2016) 'What is new in neuro-musculoskeletal interactions? From brains to babies.' Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 16
Ireland, A., Sayers, A., Deere, K.S., Emond, A., Tobias, J.H. (2016) 'Motor Competence in Early Childhood Is Positively Associated with Bone Strength in Late Adolescence.' Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 31(5) pp. 1089-1098.
Piasecki, M., Ireland, A., Stashuk, D., Hamilton-Wright, A., Jones, D.A., McPhee, J.S. (2015) 'Age-related neuromuscular changes affecting human vastus lateralis..' Journal of Physiology, 594(16) pp. 4525-4536.
Piasecki, M., Ireland, A., Jones, D.A., McPhee, J.S. (2015) 'Age-dependent motor unit remodelling in human limb muscles..' Biogerontology, 17pp. 485-496.
Ireland, A., Degens, H., Ganse, B., Maden-Wilkinson, T.M., Wilks, D.C., Rittweger, J. (2015) 'Greater tibial bone strength in male tennis players than controls in the absence of greater muscle output.' Journal of Orthopaedic Translation, 3
Ireland, A., Degens, H., Maffulli, N., Rittweger, J. (2015) 'Tennis Service Stroke Benefits Humerus Bone: Is Torsion the Cause?.' Calcified Tissue International, 97
Ireland, A., Rittweger, J., Schönau, E., Lamberg-Allardt, C., Viljakainen, H. (2014) 'Time since onset of walking predicts tibial bone strength in early childhood.' Bone, 68
Ireland, A., Ferretti, J.L., Rittweger, J. (2014) 'Imaging of the Muscle-Bone Relationship.' Current Osteoporosis Reports, 12
Ireland, A., Maden-Wilkinson, T., Ganse, B., Degens, H., Rittweger, J. (2014) 'Effects of age and starting age upon side asymmetry in the arms of veteran tennis players: a cross-sectional study.' Osteoporosis International, 25
Ireland, A., Rittweger, J., Degens, H. (2014) 'The influence of muscular action on bone strength via exercise.' Clinical Reviews in Bone and Mineral Metabolism, 12(2) pp. 93-102.
Ireland, A., Maden-Wilkinson, T., Mcphee, J., Cooke, K., Narici, M., Degens, H., Rittweger, J. (2013) 'Upper Limb Muscle-Bone Asymmetries and Bone Adaptation in Elite Youth Tennis Players.' Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 45
Degens, H., Maden-Wilkinson, T.M., Ireland, A., Korhonen, M.T., Suominen, H., Heinonen, A., Radak, Z., McPhee, J.S., Rittweger, J. (2013) 'Relationship between ventilatory function and age in master athletes and a sedentary reference population.' Age, 35(3) pp. 1007-1015.
Ireland, A., Korhonen, M., Heinonen, A., Suominen, H., Baur, C., Stevens, S., Degens, H., Rittweger, J. (2011) 'Side-to-side differences in bone strength in master jumpers and sprinters.' Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 11