Performance & Function
Why do we do research in this area?
The maintenance, enhancement or re-establishment of human function is important for elite sports performers, personnel employed in arduous occupations, and even in the performance of the tasks of daily living.
This requires an understanding of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which influence performance and function. This ranges from factors that influence ‘normal’ function through to factors that predispose individuals to musculoskeletal injury (and that influence the rate and extent of rehabilitation). Inevitably, performance and function is influenced by physiological, psychological, behavioural (for example, diet and physical activity) and mechanical factors.
Developing a clearer understanding of these considerations will aid attempts to improve elite performance, inform employer’s ‘duty of care’ to employees and/or delay the onset, incidence and severity of dysfunction (illness and injury).
What do we do?
Our research aims to identify the independent factors that limit human function and investigate interventions to improve or optimise function (performance).
The research methodology includes injury epidemiology and prevention studies, in vivo assessments of muscle function, studies designed to understand the physiological mechanisms predisposing individuals to dysfunctional outcomes and the testing of performance improvements from training and/or other interventions.
Examples of our research
| Project title | Aim/findings | People and Partners | Funder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pathophysiology of Exertional Heat Illness in Military Personnel | A prospective cohort study to investigate the physiological mechanisms which predispose humans to Exertional Heat Illness (EHI) |
|
Ministry of Defence (Army) |
| The influence of smoking on performance and physiological status during military training | To explore the impact of smoking and other lifestyle factors on performance adaptations and injury risk in military trainees |
|
Ministry of Defence (Army) |
| The Biomechanics of Elite Sprinting | To analyse sprinter’s technique to understand what characterises elite performance | UK Athletics University of Bath |
|
| Nutrition and Performance | To determine whether nutritional interventions improve performance and function during and after exercise | GSK Saudi Arabia HE Authority University of Bath |
|
| Working in Extreme Environments | To investigate the influence of extreme environments on physiological and perceived responses to arduous physical work |
|
Ministry of Defence (Army), British Library, Cofely Ltd. |
| Enhancing training and performance in elite sport | To improve performance in elite athletes | UK Sport English Institute of Sport |
|
| Biomechanics of the Rugby Scrum | To characterise the physical demands of modified scrum engagement techniques to reduce the risk of player injury |
|
International Rugby Board |
| RFU Community and Youth Rugby Injury Surveillance | To establish the injury patterns within community-level rugby to identify risk factors and propose injury prevention measures |
|
Rugby Football Union |
| The Health, Fitness and Occupational Performance of Fire & Rescue Service Personnel | To investigate the influence of lifestyle factors on cardiovascular risk biomarkers, fitness and occupational task performance of operational fire-fighters |
|
Fire Research & Training Trust Chief Fire Officer’s Association FireFit Steering Group |
