Dr. Jaap van Netten is a human movement scientist from the Netherlands, specialized in clinical research on lower-extremity disorders. His research is focused on the interplay between biomechanics and behaviour in the prevention of lower-extremity complications in people with diabetes, such as foot ulcers and amputations. This includes real-life and laboratory gait and activity analyses, communication strategies, footwear optimization and e-health solutions for disease detection and behaviour changes. 

Van Netten obtained his PhD in the field of rehabilitation medicine (University Medical Center Groningen, NL). He moved to the diabetic foot centre of expertise of Hospital Group Twente (Almelo and Hengelo, NL), first as postdoc and then as senior researcher. Early 2016, he moved to Australia, being appointed senior research fellow at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and scientific director of Diabetic Foot Australia. After he left Australia he was appointed adjunct associate professor at QUT.

Since mid 2017, he works as senior researcher and clinical academic at the Department of Rehabilitation, Amsterdam UMC, in Amsterdam.

In addition, he is the youngest-ever member of the editorial board of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF). This organisation is responsible for developing international evidence-based guidelines on the prevention and management of diabetic foot disease. Van Netten is secretary of the editorial board and the prevention working group.

Rehabilitation; Human Movement Science; Diabetic Foot Disease; Gait; Biomechanics; Prevention; Guidelines