MSc by Research Student

Course Start: October 2018

Supervisor: Dr Andrew Mitchell
Supervisor 2: Dr Laura Charalambous

Working thesis title

Lower Limb Biomechanical Effects that Different Footwear has on Lateral Ankle Sprain Resistance during Futsal.

Abstract

This piece of research will be assessing different footwear and their abilities to prevent ankle injuries from being sustained, particularly a lateral ankle sprain, which has been found to be the most common injury in various sports. One such sport is that of Futsal, a smaller sided version of football played inside on a hard surface. As participation rates increase throughout the country, so does the injury rate. Patients with ankle sprains account for approximately 5% of all patients visiting accident and emergency departments in the United Kingdom. Furthermore the incidence of reinjuring a previously sprained ankle has been found to range between 35% and 79%. Therefore, studies that look to reduce the rate and prevalence of ankle injuries are warranted. This study will be looking for participants who have played and are familiar with Futsal activity, and will be conducted in the Sport and Exercise Science laboratories at the University of Bedfordshire.

Research Questions

• At a state of rest, which type of footwear (futsal, running, basketball) has the greatest resistance to a lateral ankle sprain being sustained?
• Do the physical demands of Futsal activity induce a decreased resistance to lateral ankle sprains?
• Does the choice in footwear during Futsal activity have an impact on the resistance of a lateral ankle sprain?

About Me

My name is Oliver Lilly, I am 24 years old, and I am studying for an MSc by research at the University of Bedfordshire. I have been at the university from October 2015 in which I completed a BSc Sport and Exercise Science degree in June 2018, qualifying with a second class upper honours award. My hobbies include music, socialising with friends, and sport, in which I am an avid performer and fan. I support my hometown team, Southend United, and try to catch as many games as possible.

I have previously played football at a semi-professional level; however various injuries throughout the last few years have had a massive impact on my growth and engagement in the sport. Despite injuries having a largely negative impact in my life, they have also ironically sparked my curiosity and contributed to my interest in studying for ways of prevention/rehabilitation, leading to the foundation of my present research. In the future I would like to have a career working within a professional sports team, whether it is developing athletes’ abilities for their performance on the pitch, or rehabilitating and providing therapy for injured athletes off the pitch.

Contact Information

M: 07496030370
E: oliver.lilly@study.beds.ac.uk