Academics from Brunel's physiotherapy and biomechanics departments have been awarded £250,000 to lead research into resistance training in young people with cerebral palsy.
Dr Jennifer Ryan, Dr Thomas Korff, Dr Cherry Kilbride and Professor Bill Baltzopoulos received the award from Action Medical Research for Children and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Charitable Trust.
It will be used for a three-year study, firstly to evaluate how feasible and effective resistance training is for youngsters with the condition and secondly to determine how resistance training changes the mechanical structure of muscles and tendons in this population.
Dr Jennifer Ryan will lead the study, which will include a randomised controlled trial of 60 young people between the ages of 12 and 19. Dr Adam Shortland, a consultant clinical scientist from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and Wendy Levin, a physiotherapist at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, are also on the team that received the award.
The project will look to involve adolescents with cerebral palsy from across London. Anyone who might be interested should contact Dr Ryan on Jennifer.ryan@brunel.ac.uk.