About us

Building a Community of Support

We aim to bring together the whole MSK community to share knowledge and expertise, attract new investment and act as a unified voice for the needs of the many millions of people in the UK suffering from poor bone, joint and muscle health.

Building the Musculoskeletal
community since 1989

Established in 1989 by the orthopaedic surgeon Mr Ronald Furlong FRCS, Orthopaedic Research UK (formerly known as the Furlong Research Charitable Foundation) is a medical charity dedicated to advancing musculoskeletal knowledge by funding and publicising research and organising training and education which promote collaboration between healthcare professionals within the MSK community.

Today we are one of the very few significant funders of MSK research in the UK, working alongside our partners to encourage breakthrough research and education programmes in bone, joint and muscle wellbeing. Our common goal is to reduce the burden of poor musculoskeletal health on individuals, workplaces and our health system.

We run many educational events each year that provide training for our next generation of healthcare professionals who directly help patients to achieve a better quality of life. We bring together experts from different MSK disciplines to share knowledge and experience.

Our scientific advisory committee meets once a year to support our funding decisions; an independent review panel assessing each project separately from the charity. Overseeing all our activities and decisions are our Board of Trustees. All our committees comprise eminent figures in their respective fields of expertise.

Working together with our community to:

Invest in the future of movement

Help prevention and improve treatment

Reduce surgical wait times

Access to partnership and investment opportunities

Build knowledge for MSK Conditions

Help a healthy ageing society

Our founder and innovator for change – Ronald Furlong

During WWII Mr Furlong rose to the rank of Brigadier, commanding orthopaedic Units in North Africa, Egypt and Italy and this experience was invaluable to his orthopaedic career. In 1969 he became Director of the Orthopaedic Department at St Thomas’ Hospital, where one of his responsibilities was the teaching of hip replacement surgery.

He was responsible for a revolution in artificial joint and implant design, dramatically transforming the long-term results of joint replacements and the lives of many patients.

In 1979 he designed one of the first straight stem prostheses for use with cement. As a pioneering surgeon and using his knowledge of biomechanics, he designed a ‘HAC coated prosthesis’ that is now proven to be mechanically stable and achieves long-lasting physiological fixation.

The Ronald Furlong Fund

Did you know?

Our Funds

We fund innovative research projects in the UK that expand knowledge, improve patient outcomes and pioneer new forms of diagnosis and treatment.

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Our Research Strategy

We have published our research strategy, outlining how we intend to invest in research over the next three years to achieve our strategic vision.

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Our Impact

We believe it is essential that charities are accountable for their actions and especially their funding.

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The team that makes change happen

  • Executive team
  • Trustees
  • Scientific Advisory Committee
  • Research Committee
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Help us fund research milestones

The generosity of our donors will help us fund innovative research projects in the UK that expand knowledge, improve patient outcomes and pioneer new forms of orthopaedic treatment. Your support makes a real difference to the lives of millions of people suffering poor orthopaedic health, today and into the future.

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