Walsall Campus Sports Facilities

This is where we answer questions such as, how far, how high, and how fast an athlete is moving or how pathology is associated with a person’s movement. Therefore much of what we do in the Human Movement Laboratory explores the biomechanics of the human body. This involves examining the forces acting on and within the human body, as well as the effect of these forces.

Opened by England cricketer Joe Root in 2019, the laboratory has since been used extensively for teaching, providing students opportunities to learn how to use our state of the art equipment. It is also used for both staff and student research, as well as for consultancy work with elite athletes and outreach events, such as National Biomechanics Day.

The laboratory hosts a number of sophisticated measurement instruments including, a 14 camera 3D motion capture system, force platforms, high speed video cameras, electromyography (EMG) sensors to measure muscle activity, an isokinetic dynamometer to measure muscle strength, accelerometers and an inertial sensor suit.

The Human Performance Laboratory is a purpose-built state-of-the art teaching and research facility, which contains an extensive range of biomechanical and physiological equipment. It is primarily used for sport science research and teaching, however, the it also covers a wide range of consultancy with elite sports teams and individuals (GB Judo, Wolverhampton Wanders FC and World Champion Boxers)

The Human Performance Laboratory contains the latest equipment for Sport Science, including:

• Portable and static online gas analysis systems for breath-by-breath cardiopulmonary exercise testing, including VO2 max tests
• Wingate cycle ergometers to test anaerobic capacity and power
• An SRM Cycle Ergometer
• We also have a range of field lab-based blood analysers, which have been used to test professional athletes as part of our partnerships
• We have a purpose-built environmental chamber, the chamber can control temperature up to 40 C, relative humidity between 30 and 90%, and it can simulate altitude up to 6,000 metres. It contains a motorised hp cosmos treadmill and other equipment to measure cardiovascular and temperature changes in extreme environments

The environmental chamber comprises a dedicated research facility located on University of Wolverhampton’s, Walsall Campus. Combining world-class facilities with dedicated researchers, we are aiming to better understand human physiology in environmental extremes during work and physical activity.

Our BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy is accredited by the professional body the Society of Sports Therapists. To provide our students with learning experiences we have created a £250,000 specialist training facility at the Walsall Campus. The state-of-the-art facilities provide students with opportunities to work with some of our key partners such as British Judo, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Walsall FC, as well as university sports teams, to develop industry skills relevant to a career in sport and exercise therapy. The facilities include:

1. Massage and treatment stations with hydraulic couches for sports massage and other manual therapy techniques
2. The latest audio visual lecture capture technology that enables teaching demonstrations to be viewed on the interactive screens at each of the massage and treatment stations
3. A wide range of anatomical models to help students understand the structure and function of the body
4. Electrotherapy equipment including ultrasound to facilitate healing and recovery
5. First aid manikins including the capacity to provide biofeedback on CPR performance
6. Pop-up Sports Therapy Clinic to provide students with experience of supporting real sporting events