I have always been interested in analysing how the body moves. When I was younger, as an elite athlete and hockey player, I innately compared my technique to those of my competitors and team-mates. After suffering a career-ending injury, I became fascinated by biomechanics and technique analysis and while watching the paralympics, as a new graduate, I developed and interest in prosthetic limbs. I was fortunate to win a scholarship to work on a multidisciplinary project developing prosthetic limbs for people with a lower limb amputation who wanted to be active at the University of Ulster. In collaboration with a carbon-fibre weaver, computer modeller and FEM specialist, the human-data from my research was used to develop the optimal prosthesis shape to store and return energy during the running cycle, subsequently known as the ‘blade’. After graduating with my PhD I lectured at Brunel University, developing a collaboration with Blatchford Prosthetics to enhance prosthetic design, a collaboration which continues today.   

I have worked at the University of Roehampton for over 20 years. During my time at Roehampton, I have developed and led research in biomechanics, along with leading and lecturing on modules at all levels of study, including anatomy and human movement and biomechanics. I supervise PhD students in the fields of sport science, physiotherapy, sport medicine and physical activity interventions.

Since 2013, I have collaborated with Sports Medicine at the Sport Surgery Clinic in Dublin, Ireland, a centre of clinical excellence in sport medicine and rehabilitation. Leading this collaborative research, we developed a movement assessment battery which informs individualised rehabilitation for musculoskeletal injuries. This Biomechanics Assisted Rehabilitation Matrix (BioARM) method allows quantification of objective measures which clinicians use to direct rehabilitation and to provide clear targets for patients, thus improving outcomes and reducing discomfort and fear. The research has led to significantly improved rehabilitation for AGP and ACL patients, reducing the personal consequences and financial costs of these debilitating injuries. Ongoing research in enhancing rehabilitation for injuries includes projects on Achilles rupture and severe hamstring injury.

Since 2016, I have been Deputy Dean, with oversight of the undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum and the development and implementation of the School’s teaching and learning strategy. I have served on Senate, led and participated in university committees and working groups and have contributed to the TEF submission (recently rated Silver).

Positions Held

Deputy Head of Department and Reader in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics

My expertise in sport and exercise biomechanics bridges the gap between Sport Science and Sport Medicine and my main research interest is pathomechanics, mechanisms and compentatory movement. My research, using strength, motion and forceplate analysis has determined the mechanisms of altered performance.  I analyse the movement mechanisms and apply the understanding to enhance the rehabilitation of two key populations – athletes who are rehabilitating from a lower limb injury; people who have a lower limb amputation. Collaborating with industrial partners (Sport Surgery Clinic, Dublin; Blatchford Prosthetics Basingstoke) and charities (Limbpower) our research has led to significantly improved rehabilitation for elite and non-elite athletes, reducing the personal consequences and financial costs of these debilitating injuries and enhanced participation in physical activity for health for people with lower limb amputation. More recently, I have explored novel data analysis methods to further our mechanical understanding of the highly multivariate musculoskeletal system. My leadership in research, enterprise and knowledge exchange activities has led to the development of exercise therapy and prosthetic design with lower limb amputees.

PhD Completions:

• 2002 David Cook Sport Biomechanics (Throwing)
• 2007 Matt Taylor Clinical Biomechanics (Amputee mechanics)
• 2010 Natalie Vanicek Clinical Biomechanics (Amputee mobility) 
• 2011 Marlene Schoeman Sport Biomechanics (Amputee mechanics)
• 2013 Michael Orendurff, PhD by Published Works (Clinical Biomechanics)
• 2013 Dafne Morgado Clinical Biomechanics (Spine mechanics)
• 2014 Marco Freddolini Clinical Biomechanics (Spine mechanics)
• 2019 Enda King Clinical Biomechanics (Injury)
• 2019 Sarah Moudy Clinical Biomechanics (Amputee  mobility)
• 2020 Amy Sibley VC Scholarship Neuromuscular Function (Amputee  mobility)
• 2021 Miranda Asher (Amputee mobility)
• 2022 Ciaran McFadden (Biomechanical methods)
• 2023 Andy Franklyn-Miller (Sports Medicine)

Research Expertise

Musculoskeletal health and fitness;Three-dimensional gait analysis;
Biomechanical analysis for disability sport;
Development and evaluation of equipment for amputees and other disabled sport;
Biomechanical analysis for able-bodied sport.
Other Expertise:
Short courses on the use of biomechanics in sport and rehabilitation
Physical Education

International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics
International Society of Biomechanics
British Assoc. of Sport and Exercise Sciences

Ph.D., University of Ulster, Biomechanics, 1997
Title: The evaluation and development of a lower limb prosthesis.
B.A., Univeristy of Limerick, Physical Education and Mathematics, 1992

Gait Analysis

My undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, including PhD supervision is in the area of Biomechanics, enhancing performance and recovering from injury. My expertise in gait and motion capture analysis allowes me to take an 'applied learning' approach and my teaching philosophy is based on Active Learning. I use digital technologies to enahnce the student experience.