Dr Stuart McErlain-Naylor

Stuart graduated from Loughborough University in 2013 with a BSc in Sport and Exercise Sciences. This was followed by a PhD at Loughborough, in the computer simulation of sports biomechanics. He worked as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at the University of Suffolk from 2018 to 2022, before re-joining Loughborough University as a Lecturer in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. Stuart became Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics in 2024.

Alongside a passion for engaging the wider audience in all things sports biomechanics, Stuart’s research interests include the application of wearable technology and computer simulation methods to investigate the human body’s response to sporting impacts. He is Vice President (Publications) for the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, and an Editorial Board Member for the journal Sports Biomechanics. His passion for sport science stems from a background as a former junior international Judo athlete and a current Vitality Netball Superleague umpire.

Stuart’s main area of research focus is the integration of wearable technology and musculoskeletal modelling to provide individual-specific estimates of post-impact loading on tissues during training/rehabilitation. Applications of this work include training load monitoring and prescription. These projects have involved partnerships with organisations including the Badminton World Federation, Vicon IMeasureU, and STATSports. Additional areas of research focus have included the analysis of sporting techniques (mostly racket/bat sports) and the mechanics of flywheel resistance exercise.

He collaborates nationally and internationally with researchers and industry partners on these projects, leading to various peer-reviewed publications and conference publications. Stuart gave a keynote lecture at the 2021 Brazilian Congress of Biomechanics and has given invited presentations or workshops for the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (Biomechanics Interest Group). He has participated in panel discussions as part of the International Society of Biomechanics conference and the Global Sports Medicine and Science Conclave.

Stuart is a passionate science communicator. He is Vice President for Publications of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) and Social Media Editor for the journal Sports Biomechanics. He is also a former Student Board Member of the International Society of Biomechanics’ Technical Group on Computer Simulation. Stuart has worked as a guest / special issue editor for the Routledge Encyclopaedia of Sport Studies, Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, and the journal Sports. He has been an Organising Committee member for the 2021 and 2022 ISBS Mid Year Symposia and the 2017 International Symposium on Computer Simulation in Biomechanics.

Stuart is also very keen on working to improve teaching practice personally and within the discipline of sports biomechanics. He is an organiser of the ISBS Teaching Initiative, has published on the scholarship of teaching and learning, and hosted the Sports Biomechanics Lecture Series. He is an External Examiner for the University of Hull.

• McErlain-Naylor, S.A., King, M.A., & Allen, S.J. (2021). Surface acceleration transmission during drop landings in humans. Journal of Biomechanics, 118, 110269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110269
• McErlain-Naylor, S.A., King, M.A., & Felton, P.J. (2021). A review of forward-dynamics simulation models for predicting optimal technique in maximal effort sporting movements. Applied Sciences, 11(4), 1450. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041450
• Armitage, M., Beato, M., & McErlain-Naylor, S.A. (2021). Inter-unit reliability of IMU Step metrics using IMeasureU Blue Trident inertial measurement units for running-based team sport tasks. Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(13), 1512-1518. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2021.1882726
• McErlain-Naylor, S.A., & Beato, M. (2021). Factors influencing the jump momentum – sprint momentum correlation: a data simulation. European Journal of Sport Science, in press. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.2002420
• Harrison, A.J., McErlain-Naylor, S.A., Bradshaw, E.J., Dai, B., Nunome, H., Hughes, G.T.G., Kong, P.W., Vanwanseele, B., Paulo Vilas-Boas, J., & Fong, D.T.P. (2020). Recommendations for statistical analysis involving null hypothesis significance testing. Sports Biomechanics, 19(5), 561-568. https://doi.org/10.1080/14763141.2020.1782555
• McErlain-Naylor, S.A., Peploe, C., Grimley, J., Deshpande, Y., Felton, P.J., & King, M.A. (2021). Comparing power hitting kinematics between skilled male and female cricket batters. Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(21), 2393-2400. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2021.1934289
• McErlain-Naylor, S.A., Towler, H., Afzal, I.A., Felton, P.J., Hiley, M.J., & King, M.A. (2020). Effect of racketshuttlecock impact location on shot outcome for badminton smashes by elite players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(21), 2471-2478. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2020.1792132
• McErlain-Naylor, S., King, M., & Pain, M.T.G. (2014). Determinants of countermovement jump performance: a kinetic and kinematic analysis. J Sports Sci, 32(19), 1805-1812. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.924055