PhD Studentship – Prospective Study to Assess the Value of a ACL Risk Reduction Intervention on ACL Injury Attrition Rates in Elite Female Adolescent Football at University of Salford

About the Project

This iPhD studentship has been developed between University of Salford and Manchester City Women’s Football Club. It will involves a primary prospective study tracking the impact of an intervention programme on female academy football players for three years. Several secondary studies will concurrently look at: developing a multilevel “movement competency” (injury prevention) training programme; benchmarking movement and physical qualities in women’s academy age groups; identifying if movement and physical quality parameters are related to risk of acquiring lower limb injury (principally ACL).

About the role

Alongside the research PhD, the candidate will work part-time within the women’s academy medical team to gain experience working within a professional football environment. The tasks undertaken by the student will include:

• Support the Academy Medical department to ensure players are provided with an excellent service.
• Have responsibility for the management of immediate emergency medical and trauma care situations in the training and competition environment.
• Providing musculoskeletal assessment, injury management and rehabilitation for players, aligned with performance and clinical requirements.
• Work closely with support staff to ensure all Sport Science & Medicine aspects of player reviews are completed to the relevant standard.
• Attend and deliver (where appropriate and based on experience and knowledge) CPD sessions as and when required by senior club staff. 

Candidates Qualification and Eligibility

Candidates should have an undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy and are HCPC registered. Have excellent interpersonal skills (oral and written), work well in a team, possess the ability to work independently. They must be willing to work unsociable hours (nights and weekends). Candidates should have an inquisitive mind and ability to explore solutions to the performance questions raised throughout the project. It is desirable that the candidates has: 

• A MSc in sports injury management or sport science related field.
• Experience working in an elite or professional sport environment.
• Experience working with female athletes.
• A relevant pitch side trauma qualification (ITMIF, PHICIS Level 2 or above)

How to Apply 

1. Covering letter: Please address to l.e.hawken@salford.ac.uk. The covering letter must set out your reasons and motivation for applying to study at the University of Salford while working full time in an applied practitioner role; your understanding, and expectations of doctoral study; and your academic interests generally, and particularly how these relate to the description of the project supplied. The covering letter should be no more than one page.
2. Curriculum Vitae: This should be no longer than two pages.
3. References: two academic referees must be submitted.