Summary of the impact

This case study demonstrates how research at the University of Bath on athlete technique and performance in sprinting and hurdling events has been translated back to the end users in order to improve their performance. The primary pathway to impact is via Dr Salo's involvement in applied work with virtually all top British sprinters and hurdlers and their coaches over the last 5 years (including all those who have represented Britain in major Championships). As a consequence of his research since 1998, Dr Salo has helped specific athletes to win medals, brought new insights to coach education and practice, instigated changes to routine practices within UK Athletics and also translated his expertise to other Olympic sports.

Summary of the impact

There are twelve young (<35 years) sudden cardiac deaths each week in the UK. These deaths in the young, fit and otherwise healthy are devastating, result in significant life-years lost and can lead to substantial media attention. The focus of this case study is based on the fact that the majority of these deaths may be preventable as it is possible to detect young athletes at risk of sudden cardiac death through pre-participation cardiovascular screening (PPS). The Cardiovascular Health Sciences Group (CHS) within the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES) has a long history of novel empirical research in this field that has had significant and far-reaching impact by; a) determining UK-based pathology data in cases of sudden cardiac death that led to the establishment of a National Register for these cases, b) contributing to international consensus statements (e.g. European Society of Cardiology) related to PPS that have been adopted by major sporting teams and organisations (e.g. Liverpool FC), c) the production of evidence-based screening policy guidelines for PPS (e.g. Cardiac Risk in the Young [CRY], British Society of Echocardiography), and d) the establishment of PPS screening activity in Liverpool (e.g. CRY clinic; elite athletes) and internationally (e.g. ASPETAR, Qatar). Our work has made a significant contribution to improving the cardiovascular care of athletes in the UK and globally.

Summary of the impact

As a consequence of research carried out at the University of Stirling, as set out in this case study, the following developments to athlete career transition support have been achieved

• A proactive athlete career transition support programme has been developed in the Republic of Ireland. At this point, 219 athletes across 24 sports have been supported by the programme.
• A multi-dimensional intervention has been created in the Republic of Ireland containing the proactive and reactive support processes, identified by the research, aligned with critical support stages before, during and after the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• The research findings have informed the training of psychologists and advisors in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland who work with athletes who retire from their sport.
• The sportscotland Institute of Sport has developed an explicit high performance sport transition model in order to guide practitioner transition-based decision making, and where required, professional intervention and athlete/coach support processes.