Stephen May worked for many years as a musculoskeletal physiotherapist in the NHS, and in 2002 became a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. He has authored numerous books, book chapters, and scientific articles. He was awarded a Fellowship from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (UK) in 2006,  and attained a PhD, 'Development of Aspects of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy', in 2008. He became a Reader in Physiotherapy in 2013.