TRU News Update: OCT 21
Recent Publications:
Update on minimalist running shoes
Disaster and Emergency Management Conference
Dr Rob Orr was recently invited to speak at the Disaster and Emergency Management Conference. His presentation showed the TRU's research collaborations with search and rescue (SAR) teams in the US and South Africa across military SAR specialists to local volunteers involved in mountain rescue. The presentation on how to physically prepare SAR personnel for load carriage and the physical rigours of working in austere environments is the precursor to research being undertaken in conditioning practices for SAR teams in the US.
Research for the NSW Police Force
The TRU recently completed a funded series of studies for NSW Police Force investigating marksmanship practices from reliability of assessments to performance under stress. Highlighting research translation to practice, recommendations from the associated Technical Report have been accepted and will be implemented in September 2021 to a cadre of 500 students currently at the Police Academy.
Research for Steel Blue
The TRU has begun the first of a series of research projects for Steel Blue footwear. The first form of work will be a scoping review looking at occupational footwear with a specific focus on boot wear, injury risk and performance impacts. The scoping review will guide future collaborations with Steel Blue who will use the research to further optimise their tactical boot wear.
Welcome HDR students Graham Marvin and Darren Corea
The TRU welcomes two new HDR students, both former Doctor of Physiotherapy students. Graham Marvin’s research will focus on ‘The relationship between sleep, training load, fatigue, and injury rates in emergency service workers.’ On a bursary from the ACT Emergency Services, Graham’s research will be conducted with ACT tactical personnel including ambulance, fire and rescue, rural fire services, and state emergency services personnel. Darren Corea’s research will focus on ‘The effects of a Virtual Reality-based intervention on chronic pain and anxiety in Veterans’. The research will take place in the newly-built Atlantis Recovery Centre using VR technology from TRU collaborators VirtuReal.