PhD Opportunity: Physical Characteristics of Lumbar Stress Fracture in Fast Bowlers Jobs at Loughborough University

Job Overview

PhD Opportunity: Physical Characteristics of Lumbar Stress Fracture in Fast Bowlers

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 and the National Cricket Performance Centre.

Lumbar Stress Fractures cause the greatest time loss in cricket and are more common in adolescent athletes. Significant work has gone into understanding the relationship between lumbar stress fracture and workloads and fast bowling technique, but no previous study has analysed the underlying physical fitness of players. This study aims to identify the key differences in physical characteristics between those players who go on to sustain a lumbar stress fracture and those who don’t. The project will quantify the incidence and nature of spine injuries in male elite junior cricketers, with a focus on stress fractures in fast bowlers. Most importantly, it will examine which physical fitness factors are related to injury risk. The findings will help to inform guidelines for effective strength and conditioning practices with Youth athletes to ensure 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.

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