
Dr Jill Alexander
Senior Lecturer and Course Lead MProf in Elite Performance, Senior Lecturer MSc Football, Science and Rehabilitation
School of Health, Social Work and Sport
Jill is a Senior Lecturer and Course Lead for our MProf in Elite Performance programme. Prior to this, she led the BSc (hons) Sports Therapy programme for five years achieving our highest NSS results, student recruitment and retention rates for the course. She also lectures on the MSc in Football, Science and Rehabilitation course and the recently validated MSc in Football Medical Leadership and Performance programme starting in September 2023.
Following her undergraduate degree, she completed an MSc (by Research) in elite equine rider performance. Jill recently completed her Ph.D. titled; Utilisation of Cryotherapy in Sport: Understanding the Multifaceted Response. The findings of which provide a framework for the optimisation of cryotherapy for injury, recovery and performance in sport. She has recently presented this work at the 2022 FIFA Medical Conference in Lyon.
Jill has led several funded projects including a tripartite Knowledge Transfer Partnership cryotherapy project with us, Manchester Metropolitan University and ProMOTION EV1 and a collaborative project funded by the Federation Equestre Internationale to develop an evidence-based classification system in Elite Para Equestrian Dressage for the FEI. She has recent consultancy work with the FA Premier League, through funded research projects, to aid the development of policy guidelines. She is currently working on consultancy projects within elite sport reviewing recovery strategies, protocols and optimisation of cryotherapy applications within their environments and the impact on performance. She is the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Elite Sport Performance.
As the Course Leader for the MProf in Elite Performance programme, Jill is responsible for course development and facilitation of the programme. She ensures the course continues its outstanding reputation. Focussing on bringing together the development of research informed teaching and publication output of a practical applied nature, Jill teaches across several other programmes advocating real world and evidenced based practices simultaneously within teaching and learning.
Jill began her career as a graduate Sports Therapist in 2008, qualifying with a first-class (hons) degree. As an ex-gymnast competing nationally, sport has been an influential part of her career. Since graduating, Jill has worked in semi and professional rugby for several years at national and county level and most recently with the France national team at the U20’s World Cup. Alongside her roles, she has externally lectured for VTCT across many institutions.
In 2012, Jill continued her research development as a Research Associate within our School of Health, Social Work and Sport. This included project leading research into the effects of whole-body cryotherapy in elite rugby league through a tripartite commercially funded project with Wigan Warriors RUFL and BOC Linde. Jill’s role progressed through supervision of several commercially funded research projects in biomechanics, thermography and cryotherapy, most recently securing a £200k KTP research bid, for a three-year funded project in the remit of cryotherapy and sport in association with Manchester Metropolitan University. In 2013 Jill moved into a lecturing role on the BSc (hons) Sports Therapy programme teaching across several modules. In 2017, she became a Senior Lecturer and within that time has developed, taught and led across several programmes at the university.
- MSc (by Research) University of Central Lancashire 2011
- BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy, University of Central Lancashire, 2008
- PGCTHE and HEA Fellow University of Central Lancashire 2015
- Level 3 Assessors Qualification
- Ph.D. University of Central Lancashire 2022
- Golden Rose Nomination Lecturer of the Year 2020
- Teaching Excellence Award 2016, 2017, 2018
- Nominated for the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards – Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year 2022
- Cryotherapy applications and optimisation in sport
- Recovery Protocols and Response in Elite Sport
- Elite Equine Rider Performance
- External Examiner – Hartpury University
- HEA Fellow
- Member of The Society of Sports Therapists
- SMA Member
- VTCT Assessor
Jill is the Research and Funding Lead for our Football Performance Hub, with research interests for the optimisation of cryotherapy and recovery protocols in elite sport. She has published over 40 peer-reviewed publications in cryotherapy, cryo-compression, contrast therapy and elite performance. Her research strand within the Football Performance Hub with a specific focus on recovery strategies in elite sport.
Jill has several publications in the area of cryotherapy and her research focusses around the effects of cryotherapy in sport through several performance parameters including biomechanical, physiological, psychological markers. Although not limited to this area she has recent publications in elite performance and injury recovery. Her research interests also include current projects in the remit of elite equine and rider performance through kinematic postural analysis of the rider.
Use the links below to view their profiles:
- Researchgate
- View their unique and persistent identifier on the ORCiD registry
- Full list of publications and articles on CLoK
- Academia
- Equine and Rider Performance
- Allied Health Research Unit
- Research and Funding Lead Football Performance Hub
- Centre for Applied Sport, Physical Activity and Performance
- Mechanisms of Cryotherapy in Sport
- Elite Equine and Rider Performance
- KTP Premier League Research Consultancy
- KTP – Supervisor Swellaway & ProMOTION
- FEI – Para Dressage Rider Performance
- KTP 3-year project grant £150k
- KTP 3-year project 2019-2022 £200k
- Internal grants £50K+
- Isokinetics Football Medicine Conference, Lyon 2022
- ECSS, Seville, 2020
- Football Medicine Isokinetic Conference, Lyon, 2020
- Sports Congress, Copenhagen, 2017
- Society for Back Pain Research, Dublin, 2014
Telephone:+44 (0)1772 892781
Email: Email:Dr Jill Alexander
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