Vertebral adaptation and stress fracture in elite junior cricket fast bowlers

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Project Detail:
Applications are invited for a PhD studentship supported by the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences and the England and Wales Cricket Board. The project will be based in the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine – East Midlands (NCSEM-EM) building.

Spinal injuries cause the greatest time loss in cricket and contribute to premature retirement, with the most common spinal injury being stress fracture in fast bowlers. Adolescence is a particularly important period for determination of injury risk. The project will quantify the incidence and nature of spine injuries in male and female elite junior cricketers, with a focus on stress fractures in fast bowlers. It will quantify the vertebral adaptations to bowling and whether this differs according to age or gender, bowling biomechanics and following stress fracture. Most importantly, it will examine which factors are related to injury risk. The findings will help to inform guidelines on bowling to optimise safe adaptation and minimise injury risk in academy cricket. The project will be based in the NCSEM-EM and will benefit from the Centre’s facilities (including dual X-ray absorptiometry, magnetic resonance imaging and motion analysis) and clinical links. The study will also benefit from the ECB’s facilities and access to elite cricketers.

Find out more:
General information about the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ssehs/

Entry requirements:
Students will normally need to hold, or expect to gain, at least a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in sport and exercise science, human biology/physiology, biomechanics, physiotherapy, radiography, or related subject. A relevant Master’s degree and/or experience in one or more of the above subjects will be an advantage. Good team working organisational and communication skills are essential. Experience of work within a sports setting is desirable. Experience with image analysis will be particularly useful.

Contact details:
For informal enquiries about the project, please contact Dr Katherine Brooke-Wavell on [Email Address Removed], 01509 222749 or Dr Mark King on [Email Address Removed], 01509 226326.

How to apply:

All applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under programme name, select School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences.

Please quote reference : SSEHS/MAK/ECB

Reference number: SSEHS/MAK/ECB
Start date: 1 October 2017
Closing date: Thursday 15 June 2017
Interview date: Monday 3 July 2017

Primary supervisor: Dr Mark King
Secondary supervisor: Dr Katherine Brooke-Wavell