Dr Sam Smith

Sam graduated with a First-Class BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Kent in 2015. He subsequently completed an MSc in Sport Science for Optimal Performance graduating with distinction in November 2016 at the same institution.

Sam gained a PhD in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Kent in 2021. His PhD thesis is entitled ‘The impact of experimentally-induced muscle pain on the performance of single-limb and whole-body exercise tasks’ was supervised by Dr. Lex Mauger, Dr Samantha Winter (Loughborough University) and Professor Dominic Micklewright (University of Essex). 

Sam joined the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences as a Lecturer in March 2021. Outside of the department, Sam has provided sport science support for various professional organisations and football clubs (Gillingham Football Club, Crystal Palace Football Club and Ebbsfleet United Football Club).   

Sam’s PhD focused on the application of an experimental model of muscle pain (intramuscular injection of hypertonic saline) to replicate the experience of naturally occurring exercise-induced pain, and to investigate the impact this may have on the performance of single-limb and whole-body exercise tasks.

Sam has also been involved in funded research projects including:

•  Investigating the efficacy of smart insoles to detect changes in gait arising from acute experimental muscle pain.
• Investigating whether tramadol is a performance enhancing drug in a competitive cycling time trial.

SPOR3450 Functional Anatomy & Biomechanics

SPOR3540 Anatomy & Biomechanics of Movement

SPOR5340 Applied Sport & Exercise Physiology

SPOR5700 Fitness Training Methods