Dr Jill Alexander
Jill is the Course Leader for the DProf and MProf in Elite Performance. She is also a Senior Lecturer and delivers several modules on the MSc Football Science & Rehabilitation and MSc in Football Medical Leadership & Performance courses. Prior to this, she led the BSc (hons) Sports Therapy programme, achieving our highest NSS results, student recruitment and retention rates for the course.
As the course leader for the DProf and MProf in Elite Performance, 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, 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.
Jill has led several funded projects including most recently a tripartite Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) cryotherapy project with UCLan, Manchester Metropolitan University and ProMOTION EV1; a collaborative project funded by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) to develop an evidence-based classification system in Elite Para Equestrian Dressage for the FEI; and most recently provided consultancy work with the FA Premier League, through funded research projects, to aid the development of policy guidelines.
Her findings from her Ph.D. titled; Utilisation of Cryotherapy in Elite Sport: Understanding the Multifaceted Response, provides a framework for the optimisation of cryotherapy for injury, recovery and performance in sport. She has recently presented this work at the FIFA Medical Conference in Lyon, Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Staff Education Programme 2023, NBATA conference in Chicago, and several FA Premier League clubs. She is currently working on consultancy projects within elite sport reviewing recovery strategies, protocols and optimisation within their environments and the impact on performance.
Jill is the Research and Funding Lead for the Football Performance Hub at the University of Central ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ, with research interests for the optimisation of cryotherapy and performance recovery strategies within elite sport. She has published over 60 peer-reviewed publications in cryotherapy and elite performance.
She currently works as an independent Performance Recovery Consultant for several Championship and FA Premier League Football (Soccer) clubs, currently leading several projects to maximise individual player recovery strategies, player education materials and R&D initiatives for improved player, department and club recovery and performance. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of the
- Course Leader DProf and MProf in Elite Performance
- MSc (by Research) University of Central ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ 2011
- BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy, University of Central ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ, 2008
- PGCTHE and HEA Fellow University of Central ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ 2015
- Level 3 Assessors Qualification
- Ph.D. University of Central ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ 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:
- 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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