Rate My Professor John Arnold

John Arnold is an Associate Professor of Biomechanics and Senior Lecturer in the School of Allied Health and Human Performance within the College of Health at Adelaide University. He serves as a Steering Committee Member for the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity Research Centre (ARENA). With more than fifteen years of experience, Arnold employs biomechanical methods and advanced data-analysis techniques across sporting and clinical environments to optimise human performance and health. His research adopts a cross-disciplinary approach, bridging sport science, engineering, and medicine. In his teaching role, he coordinates and leads courses in Biomechanics of Human Movement and Sports Biomechanics as part of the Exercise and Sport Science portfolio. Arnold's teaching philosophy emphasises student engagement through active learning and problem-based approaches. He holds Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (UK). Prior to his current appointment, he was awarded a CJ Martin Research Fellowship in musculoskeletal biomechanics at the University of Leeds, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Arnold possesses expertise in laboratory-based biomechanical studies utilising motion capture systems, specialised instrumentation, computational modelling, and medical imaging. He maintains a particular interest in footwear biomechanics, collaborating with industry partners on projects evaluating innovative footwear designs, technologies, and user experiences. He is an active member of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS), the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB), and the Footwear Biomechanics Group (FBG), a technical group of the ISB. Arnold has supervised and mentored postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, Masters candidates, and Honours students in sports and clinical biomechanics. His key publications include 'Biomechanical changes and recovery of gait function after total knee arthroplasty' (Bahl et al., 2018), 'Foot and Leg Muscle Weakness in People With Midfoot Osteoarthritis' (Arnold et al., 2020), 'Changes in foot pain, structure and function following bariatric surgery' (Walsh et al., 2018), 'Beyond the finish line: Exploring factors influencing running maintenance among current and discontinued recreational runners' (Blacket et al., 2026), 'My lived experience was valued: Co-designing OA Champions - a pain science-informed peer mentorship program for people with knee osteoarthritis' (Wilson et al., 2026), and 'Editorial: Remote assessment, measurement, and delivery in sport, physical activity and health' (Peart et al., 2025).