PhD Studentship: Heat Therapy to Improve Health and Wellbeing in a Clinical Population

Passive heating, for example via hot water immersion or sauna use, is a therapy approach which can reduce blood pressure, inflammation, and overall cardiovascular disease risk. This is particularly relevant to those who may not be able to adhere to exercise guidelines, for example due to disability, pain, or frailty. Acute exposure to heat induces changes to inflammatory markers, which may explain benefits of heat therapy to diseases with an inflammatory component, such as cardiovascular disease. Further, some studies and anecdotal evidence document benefits to pain-related outcomes following acute heat exposure. However, the evidence-base of heat therapy to impact inflammation and pain-related outcomes in those that are not ‘fit and healthy’ is small. Further, more research is required to determine what type of heat therapy protocols are well tolerated and can be well integrated into people’s life. Therefore, this programme of study aims to develop practical and feasible heat therapy protocols in a clinical population, for example older adults in a care home setting, or those with inflammatory arthritic diseases. The research will consider acceptability of exposure mode, temperature and duration, and the practicalities to implement heat therapy into daily life. This studentship will further assess the health effects of heat therapy in the researched population, including inflammatory, cardiovascular, and pain-related outcomes. The findings of this study will contribute to informing therapy designs relevant to populations who are unable to engage in regular physical exercise, and may support the development of accessible, non-pharmacological interventions to improve health and wellbeing. Ultimately, this research aims to expand therapeutic options for clinical populations, improving quality of life and reducing disease burden through evidence-based heat therapy protocols. This research programme offers the candidate the opportunity to conduct real-world experiments and experience working with an industrial partner.

The project will be supervised by Dr Christof Leicht. General information about the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences can be found at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ssehs/
For informal enquiries about the project, please contact Christof Leicht (c.a.leicht@lboro.ac.uk).

Entry requirements:
Successful applicants will normally have an undergraduate honours degree with a minimum classification of a 2.1, or equivalent, in a relevant subject for the PhD topic (e.g., Sports Science, Physiology, or Human Biology). An MSc in one of these areas is highly desirable. Experience of physiological laboratory testing, particularly around thermoregulation / heat exposure, would also be advantageous. Applicants must have completed their studies in English or have an English Language qualification.

English language requirements:
Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/).

Funding information:
The studentship is for 3 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £20,780 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus university tuition fees.

How to apply

All applications should be made online. Under Campus, please select Loughborough and select Programme Ph.D. Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences (PSRP11). Please quote the advertised reference number SSEHS/CL26 in your application.

To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents. The following selection criteria will be used by academic schools to help them make a decision on your application.

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