Physiology

Loughborough University's team of Physiologists work closely with the coaches and practitioners from other disciplines (nutrition, psychology, physiotherapy and strength & conditioning) to ensure athletes get the best support possible.

The Performance Support team work closely with coaches and athletes on the ground, to ensure timely responses to their needs.

The team has many years of experience supporting a wide range of athletes and sports, from endurance sports to team sports. They have worked with professional sports such as rugby league, cricket, football, motorsports, ironman, and have supported athletes doing events such as the Marathon des Sables, The 8 Hours of Suzuka and high altitude marathons.

We ensure that everything we do is grounded in science and look for innovative ways to apply science to enhance performance. With ever-strengthening links with the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, we can pick the brains of many of Loughborough’s sector-leading academics and apply their findings to our delivery across a variety of sports. Some of our staff are also directly involved in the academic side of sports science, as well as supporting athletes. This gives athletes and coaches alike the confidence that everything we do is grounded in science, leaving no stone unturned.

Rhona Pearce – Sports Science Manager

Rhona has a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science and an MSc in Exercise Physiology from Loughborough University, and has been a BASES Accredited Physiologist for 15 years. Managing and co-ordinating the delivery of physiology, nutrition and psychology support to both our student-athletes and members of the public, Rhona provides applied support to the commercial side of our service, specialising in endurance sports.