Research Informed Practice
My Research
Training Load and Injury in Adolescent Academy Football Players
This PhD thesis explored how growth and maturation affect injury risk in elite youth footballers through a multi-study approach. The research identified significant relationships between growth rate, exposure, and injury risk, while also examining the barriers and facilitators to implementing injury prevention strategies. The studies demonstrated that identifying at-risk players and introducing targeted interventions can meaningfully reduce injury incidence and burden.
Can we reduce injury risk during the adolescent growth spurt?
An intervention strategy that included modified training load, football-specific skills, balance, coordination and landing drills, and an individualised strength program resulted in a significant reduction in injury. For players at greatest risk during the growth spurt, the intervention significantly reduced injury incidence by 86% and injury burden by 92%.
The effect of bio-banding on between-player variance in size and speed in male academy soccer players
Bio-banding groups young athletes based upon maturity rather than age and has shown benefits to academy footballers’ development by reducing maturity associated variation in games. This study shows that grouping players by maturity status (percentage of adult height) can reduce the variation in height, mass and momentum for adolescent soccer players.