Dr Grace Smith

Senior Lecturer

+44(0)1244 511848
School of Allied and Public Health
g.smith@chester.ac.uk
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Grace has been teaching at Chester since January 2006. She teaches extensively on the undergraduate Sport and Exercise Sciences programme and is strand leader on the MSc Sports Biomechanics Pathway. 

Her research interests include the biomechanical analysis of sports performance and running shoe design.

Grace has recently completed a PhD in the area of foot function in relation to sports performance and also completed her Post Graduate Certificate for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education at the University of Chester.

She currently teaches on the following modules:

  • Introduction to Biomechanics and Kinesiology in Sport (Level 4)
  • Biomechanical and Notational analysis in Sport (Level 5
  • Research Methods in Sport and Exercise Sciences (Level 5)
  • Applied Sports Biomechanics (Module Leader) (Level 6
  • Contemporary Issues in Sports Biomechanics (MSc)
  • Measurement Techniques in Sports Biomechanics (MSc)
  • Biomechanical Assessment and Evaluation of Sports Performance (MSc)

Grace also supervises dissertation students at level 6 and Masters.

Research interests

  • Biomechanics of sports performance, track and field athletics
  • Footwear Biomechanics
  • Measurement techniques in Sports Biomechanics

Selected publications

Felix Friedl, Grace Smith, Kevin L. Lamb, Paul Worsfold and Matt Palmer. (2023) Effects of athletic socks with high frictional properties on in-shoe foot sliding and performance in football-specific movements. Footwear Science. DOI

Oxendale, C., Highton, J., Smith, G., & Twist, C. (2022). Can player tracking devices monitor changes in internal response during multidirectional running? Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport.  DOI

Wright, A., Stone, K., Martinelli, L., Fryer, S., Smith, G., Lambrick, D., Stoner, L., Jobson, S. & Faulkner, J. (2020). Effect of combined home-based, overground robotic-assisted gait training and usual physiotherapy on clinical functional outcomes in people with chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation. DOI

Stanley, E., Thomson, E., Smith G. & Lamb, K.L. (2018). An analysis of the three-dimensional kinetics and kinematics of maximal effort punches among amateur boxers. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport. DOI

Wright, A., Smith, G. et al., (2018). A community-based, Bionic Leg Rehabilitation Program for Patients with Chronic Stroke: Clinical Trial Protocol. Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 27 (2): 372-380. DOI

Smith, G., Lake, M., Sterzing, T., & Milani, T. (2016). The influence of sprint spike bending stiffness on sprinting performance and metatarsophalangeal joint function. Footwear Science. DOI

Smith, G., Lake, M., & Lees, A. (2014). Metatarsophalangeal joint function during sprinting: A comparison of barefoot and sprint spike shod conditions. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 30 (2), 206-212.

Smith, G., Lake, M., Lees, A. & Worsfold, P. (2012). Measurement procedures affect the interpretation of metatarsophalangeal joint function during accelerated sprinting. Journal of Sports Sciences, 30 (14), 1521-1527.

Conferences

Smith, G. & Lake, M. (2011). Athlete-specific analyses of the effect of shoe bending stiffness on foot function during sprint running. 16th Annual Congress of the European College of Sports Sciences, Liverpool, UK

Smith, G., Lake, M., Sterzing, T. & Worsfold, P. (2010). The influence of sprint spike stiffness on sprinting performance and Metatarsophalangeal joint kinematics. Congress of the International Foot and Ankle Biomechanics Community, Washington University, USA.

Smith, G. & Lake, M. (2010). Pressure profiles during barefoot and shod sprinting. British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference, Glasgow University, UK.

Smith, G. & Lake, M. (2009). Foot function in Sprinting: Barefoot and Sprint Spike Conditions. International Society of Biomechanics in Sport Annual Conference, University of Limerick, Ireland.

Smith, G. & Lake, M. (2007). Methodological considerations for determining metatarsophalangeal joint function during sprinting. British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference, Bath University, UK.

Smith, G. & Lake, M. (2007). Methodological considerations for determining metatarsophalangeal joint kinetics during sprinting. Sixth International Conference on Sport, Leisure and Ergonomics, UK.

BSc (Hons), MSc, PGCert, PhD