PhD Studentship: Developing a Consumer-Accessible Gait Training Wellness Footwear Inspired by AposHealth Medical Device

The studentship is with University of Salford and APOS

Academic Supervisor: Prof Richard Jones

Academic Co-Supervisor: Dr Carina Price

Industrial Supervisors: Ganit Segal

The studentship is fully funded and includes:

• A fee waiver
• A stipend of £20,750 p.a. for three and a half years
• All bench fees and consumable costs
• Funding for conference travel available via APOS and UoS.

Final date for applications: Friday 27^th June 2025

Phase I: Interviews will be held on the week of the 7^th of July 2025 (Via Teams)

Phase II: In-person interviews will be held on the week of X14th July 2025

The candidate must be in a position to register by October 2025

Description: This Industrial PhD studentship has been developed between Salford University and APOS. Gait rehabilitation is emerging as a promising intervention, employing targeted exercises, gait training, and assistive technologies to restore normal walking patterns and enhance stability. AposHealth is an innovative therapeutic approach for patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Apos utilizes personally calibrated footwear with unique biomechanical elements attached to the sole of the shoe that alter the user's walking pattern, redistributing forces across the joints and promoting neuromuscular stimulation through controlled perturbation. This gait retraining aims to reduce pain, improve mobility, and enhance overall function by addressing underlying neuromuscular imbalances and joint mechanics. Apos has extensive research demonstrating the device's biomechanical features and functionalities, safety, clinical effectiveness and economic analysis to suggest cost savings.

Apos developed a consumer product that is established on Apos' science and mechanism of action for the general population for overall wellness. The aim of the PhD is to develop a knowledge base associated with this consumer product through the design and implementation of relevant biomechanical testing and wearer input.

Candidates: Candidates should have a high 2.1 or 1^st class undergraduate degree in an Allied Health, Engineering, Biomedical or Sport Science or Biomechanics related field. An optional MSc including human biomechanics would be desirable. Candidates with experience in motion capture data collection involving patients would be advantageous, as would experience with musculoskeletal modelling software. Candidates with experience in clinical practice relating to human movement and rehabilitation would be advantageous.

Funding Eligibility:

This studentship is only available to students with settled status in the UK, as classified by EPSRC eligibility.  Please visit: https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/skills/students/help/eligibility/

Enquiries: Informal enquiries may be made to Prof Richard Jones by email: r.k.jones@salford.ac.uk

Curriculum vitae and supporting statement explaining their interest should be sent to: m.watts@salford.ac.uk

Note to applicant: In addition to applying for this role the successful candidate will also be required to complete the University application process which applies to all students wishing to study at The University of Salford. How to apply for research studies can be found here:    https://www.salford.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying/applying-for-research

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