PhD Student, Research Lab Member
Mississippi State University
Samantha Searles, a doctoral student researcher from Mississippi State University's Resistance Exercise Performance Lab, focuses on knee injury mitigation research following a medial meniscal tear at age 12 that was never surgically repaired. Instead, she utilized strength training as a recovery modality and hopes to help others do the same thing - and maybe even prevent the injury from happening in the first place. She began researching sex-based differences in injury risk during her master's degree and focused on female-based responses during her thesis. Through her doctoral degree she hopes to find the missing link to why females are more predisposed to knee injuries compared to males, specifically whether it is neuromuscular or anatomical. Additionally, she uses her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credential as a way to further bolster her research and love for lifting to help other women find their individual joy in movement.