The Athlete Research Lab
Athlete Research Lab hosted at Elite Rehab
Not content with the ‘status quo’, the staff at Elite Rehab have developed a first-class athlete and injury research testing lab, known as the Athlete Research Lab.
Located in the heart of the Nation’s Capital, this state-of-the-art facility is the vision of passionate post-doctoral sports physiotherapist, Tim McGrath. Alongside fellow clinical director and sports physiotherapist Hamish Macauley who has a clinical interest in shoulder injuries, the state-of-the-art facility is the culmination of over 20 years experience in high-performance team environments, uncompromising dedication to research and a desire to provide athletes with the opportunity to always be their best, no matter the circumstances.
The Fundamentals
The Athlete Research Lab is a cutting edge clinical and research-based facility housed within Elite Rehab.
Driven by the research and development of Tim McGrath (PhD) and aligned with his clinical expertise, the lab has a focus on improving human performance and injury prevention, with a particular emphasis on lower limb injury and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee specifically. Hamish Macauley is currently in process of validating return to play (RTP) protocols following injuries of the shoulder complex.
The objective of the lab is to drive innovation and generation of peer-review research publication to ultimately benefit the long-term results of competitive and recreational athletes from a range of backgrounds visiting the facility. The information derived from this project is currently used for a standalone professional development course for physiotherapists through the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) and Internationally with venues including the UK, Hong Kong, and the UAE.
The Athlete Research Lab houses world-class equipment and facilities for capture and training of human performance, including (but not limited to):
- Pitch Ready Analysis Software
- Vicon 3D Motion Analysis System – capable of both indoor and outdoor capture
- Jump Mat and Dual Force Platforms
- Speed Gates
- GPS Load Monitoring
- Strength Based Dynamometry
- 25m Indoor running track
- 25m indoor pool
- Gymnastics Sprung Floor
- UESAKA and Eleiko Lifting Equipment
- Outdoor training facilities
- KT1000 Dynamometer
Peer Reviewed Publications:
McGrath, T.M, Hulin, B.T, Pickworth, N., Clarke, A., Timmins, R. Determinants of hamstring fascicle length in professional rugby league athletes. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (2019)
McGrath, T.M., G. Waddington, J.M. Scarvell, N. Ball, R. Creer, K. Woods, D. Smith, and R. Adams, An Ecological Study of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Part 1: Clinical Tests Do Not Correlate With Return-to-Sport Outcomes. Orthopaedic Journal Of Sports Medicine, 2016. 4(11) .
McGrath, T.M., G. Waddington, J.M. Scarvell, N. Ball, R. Creer, K. Woods, D. Smith, and R. Adams, An Ecological Study of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Part 2: Functional Performance Tests Correlate With Return-to-Sport Outcomes.
McGrath, T.M., G. Waddington, J.M. Scarvell, N.B. Ball, R. Creer, K. Woods, and D. Smith, The effect of limb dominance on lower limb functional performance?a systematic review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2016. 34(4): p. 289-302.
Schwab, L.M, McGrath, T.M., Franettovich Smith, M., Mendis, D., McGhee, D., and Hides, J., Mechanisms of traumatic injury to the shoulder girdle in the australian football league. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2019. 22(9): p 987-991.
If you would like further information on the project please contact the practice.
