Fully Funded ScootFit and Swansea PhD Scholarship: Scooting for the Stars: Utilising Scooting as a Novel Tool for Balance Enhancement in Children with Hypermobility

Funding providers: ScootFit and Swansea University's Faculty of Science and Engineering

Subject areas: Sport and Exercise Sciences – motor control, physical activity, movement disorder

Project start date: 

• 1 October 2024 (Enrolment open from mid-September)

Project description: 

Joint hypermobility effects 34% of youth and presents unique challenges to acquiring fundamental movement skills, a failure master which is associated with poor self-confidence, -esteem and lifelong engagement in physical activity. Currently, scooters are one of the most popular forms of physical activity for children but, for a large proportion of our youth, their hypermobility poses potential issues to engagement but this remains inadequately explored. This project aims to comprehensively assess the influence of hypermobility on balance and performance in children and to co-develop a scooter-based intervention to promote balance and physical activity engagement in youth. Specifically, by collaborating with schools and communities, we'll develop a multi-component educational, safety and physical activity program specifically tailored to address the needs of children with hypermobility. This research has the potential to significantly improve the health and well-being of children with hypermobility, ensuring they can fully and safely engage in scooting and other physical activities, while simultaneously contributing valuable insights into the use of scooters as a balance-enhancing intervention that could be translated to other movement disorders such as Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Eligibility 

Candidates must hold an Upper Second Class (2.1) honours degree in Sports Science or similar relevant science discipline. If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship (i.e. a student who is eligible to pay the UK rate of tuition fees) but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements. Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency.

English Language: IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 5.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. 

This scholarship is open to candidates of any nationality.

Additional Funding Information

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237.

Additional research expenses will also be available.