Current Projects

Sports-Related adolescent Ankle ligament Injury Surveillance: A prospective cohort study (SPRAINS)

The Sports-Related Adolescent Ankle Ligament Injury Surveillance (SPRAINS) project is a prospective cohort study investigating the prevalence, risk factors, and long-term outcomes of ankle sprains in adolescent athletes.

The ankle is the most commonly injured body region in multidirectional sports such as soccer, netball, basketball, and volleyball. Despite often being considered a minor injury, up to 70% of athletes report persistent symptoms following an initial ankle sprain, and chronic ankle instability (CAI) may affect up to 20% of adolescents. These ongoing issues can negatively influence performance, participation, and long-term joint health.

The SPRAINS study aims to identify which athletes are at risk of initial and recurrent ankle sprains, and which factors may predict successful return to sport compared with ongoing instability.

Findings from this research may support improved screening methods and the development of targeted injury-prevention programs.

Project Lead: Dr Andrew Ross

Collaborating Research Team: Dr Patrick Rowe, Mr Rees Thomas

MSA Research Centre Staff: Dr Paul Larkin, Ms Sara Hasani

Research Student: Ms Parmida Hadi (Masters)

Collaborating Institution: Victoria University

The development of a practice informed movement competency assessment for association with performance outcomes in youth athletes

The development of high-quality movement skills is an important component of athletic performance during adolescence. Assessing movement competency can help practitioners identify strengths and limitations in an athlete’s movement patterns and guide targeted training and development strategies. This project focuses on the development and validation of a practice-informed athletic movement competency assessment designed specifically for adolescent athletes. The assessment evaluates foundational athletic movement skills and provides a structured approach for evaluating movement quality in applied sport settings.

The project has developed a novel assessment tool that has demonstrated strong validity and reliability and has shown meaningful associations with physical performance outcomes. The assessment has the potential to be used in both research and applied strength and conditioning practice to evaluate and monitor movement skill development in youth athletic populations.

This project was the first Higher Degree Research project supported by the MSA Research Centre.

PhD Researcher: Gyan Wijekulasuriya

Collaborating Research Team: Associate Professor Carl Woods, Dr Aden Kittel

MSA Research Centre Staff: Dr Paul Larkin,

Collaborating Institutions: Victoria University; University of Queensland; Deakin University

The impact of growth and maturation on injuries in a school sports academy

Adolescence is characterised by rapid growth and maturation, which leads to substantial changes in musculoskeletal and physiological development. These developmental changes can influence coordination, biomechanics, and physical capacity, potentially increasing injury susceptibility during periods of accelerated growth.

While the adolescent growth spurt is widely recognised as an important factor influencing injury risk, there remains limited research examining injury patterns across different sports and particularly among female adolescent athletes.

This doctoral research aims to examine how growth and biological maturation influence injury risk in youth athletes within a specialist sport school environment. By analysing injury patterns across sports and between sexes, the project seeks to provide a clearer understanding of how biological development interacts with training and competition demands.

The findings will contribute to the development of more targeted injury-prevention strategies and inform athlete monitoring practices in youth sport settings.

PhD Researcher: Athanasios Kontogiannidis

Collaborating Research Team: Dr John Radnor, Dr Nick Busuttil

MSA Research Centre Staff: Dr Paul Larkin; Ms Sara Hasani

Collaborating Institution: Victoria University; Cardiff Metropolitan University

Sport Academy Engagement and Adolescent Mental Health: A Longitudinal and Mechanism-Based Investigation

Adolescent mental health is an increasing global public health concern, with many young people experiencing rising levels of psychological distress during this critical developmental period. Participation in sport is often associated with positive outcomes such as improved well-being, self-esteem, and social connectedness. However, much of the current research is cross-sectional and provides limited understanding of how these relationships develop over time.

This doctoral research investigates how engagement in specialised youth sport school programs influences adolescent mental health and psychological well-being. The project takes a longitudinal approach to better understand the psychological processes that underpin well-being in youth athletes.

By focusing specifically on students enrolled in specialist sport school programs, the research will provide important insights into how structured sport environments influence mental health outcomes during adolescence.

PhD Researcher: Ruizhu (Emma) Yang

Collaborating Research Team: Professor Michael Spittle

MSA Research Centre Staff: Dr Paul Larkin; Ms Melissa Moore; Mr Brett Pallini

Collaborating Institution: Victoria University