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 Name: Francisco Ayala Rodriguez
Supervisor: Dr Mark De Ste Croix
Research Degree: European PhD
Research Title: Acute and chronic effects of stretching on functional hamstring to quadriceps ratio, neuromuscular performance and hamstring flexibility.
Brief Context: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common and potentially traumatic sports-related injury, typically arising via a noncontact episode during landing, cutting, or pivoting maneuvers. In addition, hamstring strains are among the most common injuries in sports that involve sprinting and jumping, Lack of hamstring flexibility, deficit of functional hamstring to quadriceps ratio and prolongation hamstring electromechanical delay have been proposed as important risk factors associated with ACL injury and hamstring strain. Stretching exercises are regularly included in warm-up and cooling-down exercises, as well as specific training session with the purpose of decrease the likelihoods of injuries. However, today the scientific evidence concerning the preventive effect of stretching on injuries seems unclear. Therefore, the main purposes of this European PhD Thesis were: (a) to analyze the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on functional hamstring to quadriceps ratio and hamstring electromechanical delay; and (b) to determine the chronic effects of 8-week active stretching program on hamstring flexibility in male and female active recreationally young adults.
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 Name: Said El Ashker
Supervisor: Prof Walid El Ansari
Research Degree: PhD
Research Title: Effect of developing complex motor skills on technical performance effectiveness of junior boxers
Brief Context: Having a variety of complex motor skills that are required in the boxing match allows boxers to choose and employ the best motor performance in most positions of the actual game.
Research Methodology/Methods: Complex motor skills were defined through quantitative and qualitative analysis of boxing matches in the Olympic Games championship held in Athens 2004. The study uses an experimental design comprising two groups of 30 male junior boxers aged between 14-16 years (experimental and control), and undertakes a range of baseline physical fitness and technical performance effectiveness measures for the two groups. A complex motor skills intervention program is introduced to the intervention group for 3 months, while the control groups receives isolated/ basic motor skills for the same time. After 3 months, physical fitness and technical performance effectiveness measures were assessed again for the two groups and compared. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in all the post measures were asses to the advantage of the intervention group.
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