Dr Jacky Forsyth

Associate Professor

School of Health, Science and Wellbeing

I am an Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology. I lead and teach on the exercise physiology components of our undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in sport and exercise. My associate professor title means that I do research, and my particular interest is on women’s exercise physiology. I am co-founder of the Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network, the purpose of which is to grow, strengthen and promote research on women in sport and exercise, with the ultimate goal of optimising women’s athletic success and their participation. My research interests include menstrual cycle, bone health/osteoporosis and women’s football.

I started at Staffordshire University in 2006 and have worked at other higher education institutes in the UK. Through my academic career, I have been involved in applied research, sports science consultancy for athletes, quality assurance in learning and teaching and external examining. I previously worked in the private sector within sport, fitness and health.

Professional memberships and activities

  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Co-Chair,
  • Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network (WiSEAN)

Academic qualifications

  • PhD, ‘The isolated and combined effects of circadian and circamensal rhythms on blood lactate concentration’, Liverpool John Moores University.
  • MPhil, ‘Development of procedures for assessing the effect of stroke rate on physiological variables during ergometer rowing’, University of St Andrews.
  • Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), University of Warwick.
  • BA (Hons) Physical Education & Geography, University of Warwick.

Expertise

  • Women’s exercise physiology, health and fitness
  • Menstrual cycle and training
  • performance and health
  • Ovarian sex hormones and exercise
  • Bone strength and osteoporosis
  • Academic writing and research

Research interests

  • Women’s sport and exercise physiology
  • Women in sport and exercise
  • The menstrual cycle in sport, exercise and health
  • Ovarian hormones and exercise
  • Osteoporosis/bone strength and exercise
  • Menopause and exercise
  • Member of the Centre for Health and Development (CHAD)

Grants

CY Advanced studies travel grant (2023): Implementation of good practices regarding the menstrual cycle and football performance (£1,164) European Women in Sport (E-WinS) (2023): For an adaptive governance of women’s sports practices (£448.000) DHL UK Foundation: Trucks and Child Safety (TACS) evaluation (£13,310) Federation of University Sports, China: UK Football Study Programme for Chinese Coaches (£355,200) Primary Care Trust, Stoke-on-Trent NHS: Exercise as an adjunct therapy for postnatal depression – a pilot study (£50,000) Northeast Wales NHS Trust: Effect of menstrual cycle and time of day on well-being and exercise performance in women(£5,445)

Enterprise and commercial interests

I co-founded WiSEAN and do Podcasts as part of this network. I am creator of Peak Condition, a student-led sports science support service at the University.

Externally funded projects include: Erasmus+-funded project, European Women in Sport (E-WinS); UK Football Study Programme (The Federation of University Sports of China (FUSC) and China School Sports Federation (CSSF); The effect of menstrual cycle and time of day on wellbeing and exercise performance in women (North Wales Research Committee and NE Wales NHS Trust); Exercise as an adjunct therapy for postnatal depression (Primary Care Trust, Stoke-on-Trent NHS), and various projects related to the Centre of Health and Development (CHAD).

I also undertake consultancy for various women athletes and sports teams at national and international level, as well as for Flo (a menstrual cycle tracking app), and educational resources (e.g., the New Scientist).

Teaching

Module leadership: Exercise physiology at level 4, 5 and 7 Course leader: MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Science UG and PG dissertation supervision PhD supervisor Postgraduate research co-ordinator, sport and exercise


Publications

Most recent Forsyth, J. J., Rounds, A., & Zumwalt, M. (2023). Prevention and management of osteoporosis through exercise. In: J. J. Robert-McComb, M. McComb, M. Zumwalt, & M. Fernandex-del-Valle (Eds.). The active female. Health issues throughout the lifespan (3rd ed.). Springer Dowling, B., Forsyth, J., Zumwalt, M., & Robert-McComb, J. J. (2023). Reproductive changes from puberty to menopause and the effects of the menstrual cycle on bone formation and bone loss. In: J. J. Robert-McComb, M. McComb, M. Zumwalt, & M. Fernandex-del-Valle (Eds.). The active female. Health issues throughout the lifespan (3rd ed.). Springer. In press. Langley, J. O., Branthwaite, H. R., Chockalingam, N., & Forsyth, J. J. (2023). Determining the effect and magnitude of advanced footwear technology on female distance running performance. Footwear Science, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2023.2219651 Forsyth, J. J. (2023). Menopause osteoporosis and bone intervention using lifestyle exercise: A randomized controlled study. Journal of Mid Life Health, XX:XX-XX. Pradhan, S., Chiu, S., Burton, C., Forsyth, J., Corp, N., Paskins, Z., ... & Babatunde, O. O. (2022). Overall effects and moderators of rehabilitation in patients with wrist fracture: A systematic review. Physical Therapy, 102(6), pzac032. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzac032 Forsyth, J. J., Sams, L., Blackett, A. D. Ellis, N. & Abouna, M.-S. (2022). Menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception and pregnancy in women’s football: perceptions of players, coaches and managers, Sport in Society. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2022.2125385 Forsyth, J. J. (2022). How the female reproductive hormones affect performance in football. In: M. Żmuda-Pałka (Ed). Football wants to be a woman – new perspectives of women`s football. Monograph Nr 49. ISSN: 2082-7202. Babatunde, O. O., Bucknall, M., Burton, C., Forsyth, J. J., Gwilym, S., Paskins, Z., & van der Windt, D. A. (2021). Long-term clinical and socio-economic outcomes following wrist fracture: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporosis International, 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-021-06214-9 Forsyth, J. J., Makay, L., & Riley, V. (2021). Perceptions of physical activity changes due to COVID-19 restrictions among women in the United Kingdom. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, (Ahead of Print). https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.2020-0068 Forsyth, J., Brown, N., Bullingham, R, & Roberts. C.-M. (2021). Getting Back on Their Feet: Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network Virtual Conference, Sept 7–8, 2020. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.2020-0076. Book Forsyth, J. J., & Roberts, C. (2019). (Ed). The exercising female: Science and its application. Routledge. 

External profiles

Meet our experts - Dr Jacky Forsyth

Meet our experts - Dr Jacky Forsyth

Video

Dr Jacky Forsyth is an Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise and Course Leader for our BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science degree.

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Research Excellence Framework 2021

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Research Excellence Framework 2021

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