PhD Studentship: A multifactorial approach to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury mitigation in female football: implications for profiling and intervention.

Summary

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a major concern in female football, associated with a plethora of negative implications. Although ACL injury mechanisms are multifactorial, associated risk factors such as movement quality, biomechanics, neuromuscular factors, physical capacities, training load, wellness, and neurocognitive abilities are modifiable through targeted profiling and intervention. In collaboration with Manchester United FC and MMU, a 3-year PhD studentship has arisen to be embedded within the women’s 1st team to support the Sports Science and Medicine department, and conduct ACL injury related research.

The PhD aims to investigate ACL injury risk mitigation in female football through a multifactorial approach (biomechanics, neuromuscular, neurocognitive, physiology, and socio-economic). The successful candidate will develop an injury surveillance system and implement a profiling battery to assess factors associated with knee and ACL loading utilising advanced technology. Longitudinal monitoring of key parameters will inform individualised physical performance programmes.

The start date is April 1st, 2024, with UK tuition fees and tax-free stipend provided. Overseas students would need to cover the difference in fees if successful.

Project aims and objectives

The aim is to better understand ACL injury in female football players following a holistic, multifactorial (i.e., biomechanical, neuromuscular, hormonal, physiological, neurocognitive, and socio-economic) approach for profiling and intervention.

This project will aim to answer the following research questions:

Specific requirements of the candidate

Essential:

• A first class or upper second class (2:1) degree (or equivalent) in Sports Science, Strength and Conditioning (S&C), Physiotherapy, or Sports Medicine related degree
• 1-year minimum experience in providing sports science, medicine, or S&C services with athletes
• An ability to critique and analyse scientific evidence, methodology and data
• Strong interpersonal, communication and organisational skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft office, specifically Microsoft Excel

Desirable

• MSc or Research Masters in Sports Science, S&C, Physiotherapy or Sports Medicine related degree
• Sports Science, S&C or Sports Medicine accreditation (i.e., BASES, ASCC, CSCS etc.)
• Proficient at conducting fitness testing and injury risk profiling assessments; particularly biomechanical assessments
• Competent with programming / coding software (i.e., R / python etc).

How to apply

Interested applicants should contact Dr Thomas Dos’Santos  for an informal discussion. 

To apply you will need to complete the online application form for a full-time PhD  in Sport and Exercise Science (or download the PGR application form ).

You should also complete the PGR thesis proposal  (supplementary information) form addressing the project’s aims and objectives, demonstrating how the skills you have maps to the area of research and why you see this area as being of importance and interest.  

If applying online, you will need to upload your statement in the supporting documents section, or email the application form and statement to [email protected] . Closing date 19 January 2024. Expected start date April 2024.

Please quote the reference: SciEng-TDS-2024-Anterior-Cruciate-Ligament