Dr Paula Rankin

Research Interests

Include the impact of recovery interventions on physiological and perceptual measures and on subsequent performance; maximising recovery from exercise-induced muscle  damage; functional foods and recovery; energy balance in athletes, physiological demands of female sport

Engagement and Collaboration

Collaboration with Glanbia and The National Dairy Council investigating milk as a recovery drink. Current collaboration with the IRFU investigating the demands of women’s rugby.

Current Research Students

• An analysis of the physiological demands of international women’s rugby union. Danielle Callinan, 2017-present; Presidents Research Fellowship.
• Adaptations to Chronic Resistance Exercise combined with Vitamin C-enriched Collagen supplementation in Middle Aged Adults. Kieran Phelan, Presidents Research Fellowship.
• The Physical and Physiological Demands of Elite Camogie Players during Competitive Match-Play. Phillip Connors, Presidents Research Fellowship
• Physiological demands and recovery profile of exercise-induced muscle damage in high impact overhead, female 10-metre platform diving. Kara Lynch, Presidents Research Fellowship

Past Research Students

• The effect of cow milk, goat milk and whey protein on recovery from repeated sprinting and jumping. Mary Curristin, 2016-present; IRC Employment based grant.
• The effect of the GAA15 on the incidence of lower extremity injury and neuromuscular outcomes in collegiate Gaelic games. Brenagh Schlingermann, 2014-2016; Presidents Research Fellowship
• Can assessment of synovial fluid for pro- and anti-inflammatory markers help predict the type of arthritis patients develop? Laurence O Neill, 2014-2017; Presidents Research Fellowship
• The effects of a carbohydrate mouth rinse on duathlon performance. Allison Duggan, 2013-2015; Presidents Research Fellowship.
• A comparison of methods used to identify ‘optimal drop height’ for early phase adaptations in depth jump training. Paul Byrne, 2005-2008.

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

Callanan, D., Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P. (2021). An Analysis of the Game Movement Demands of Interprovincial Women’s Rugby Union. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, in press

Rankin, P., Landy, A., Stevenson, E. and Cockburn, E., (2018). Milk: an effective recovery drink for female athletes. Nutrients, 10(2),: 228.

Rankin, P., Callanan, D., O’Brien, K., Davison, G., Stevenson, E.J. and Cockburn, E., (2020). Can Milk Affect Recovery from Simulated Team-Sport Match Play?. Nutrients, 12(1): 112.

Connors, P., Earls, D., Browne, D., Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P., (2020). The Positional Demands of Inter-County Camogie. Sports Performance and Science Reports, 104(1):1-2

Rankin, P., Landy, A., Stevenson, E. and Cockburn, E., (2018). Milk: an effective recovery drink for female athletes. Nutrients, 10(2),: 228.

Connors, P., Earls, D., Browne, D., Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P., (2020). The Positional Demands of Inter-County Camogie. Sports Performance and Science Reports, 104(1):1-2

Rankin, P., Lawlor, M., Bell, P., Hills, F., Stevenson, E. and Cockburn, E. (2017). The effect of milk on recovery from repeat-sprint cycling in female team-sport athletes. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, doi: 10.1139/apnm2017-0275

Schlingermann, B., Lodge, C., Rankin, P and Gisanne, C. (2017). The Effects of the GAA15 on Lower Extremity Injury Incidence and Neuromuscular Functional Outcomes in Collegiate Gaelic Games. Journal of Strength and Conditioning 56:3-15

Rankin, P, Stevenson, E and Cockburn, E. (2015).The effect of milk on the attenuation of exercise-induced muscle damage in males and females. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 115, 1245-1261.

Byrne, PJ, Moran, K, Rankin, P, and Kinsella, S. (2010). A comparison of methods used to identify “optimal" drop height for early phase adaptations in depth jump training. J Strength Cond Res, 24: 2050 – 2055.

Conference Presentations Oral

Rankin, P., Holy Cow! Is the best recovery drink already in your fridge? HPX Sport Nutrition Conference, Sport Ireland Institute, Dublin, 2019.

Rankin, P., Callanan, D., O Brien, K., Davison, G., Stevenson, E., and Cockburn, E. The effect of milk on recovery from repeated simulated teamsport in females, ECSS, Dublin 2018. 

Callanan, D, Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P. An analysis of game movement demands of interprovincial womens rugby union. ECSS, Dublin 2018

Curristin, M., Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P. The effects of goats milk, cows milk and an energy-matched carbohydrate drink on recovery from repeated sprinting and jumping in team sport athletes. ECSS, Dublin 2018. 

Rankin, P., Lawlor, M., Hills, F., Bell, P., Stevenson, E. and Cockburn, E. The effect of milk on recovery from repeat-sprint cycling in female team-sport athletes. Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Annual Conference, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, Dublin, September 2016

Rankin, P., Landy, A., Stevenson, E. and Cockburn, E. Milk benefits recovery from repeated sprinting and jumping in female team-sport athletes. International Sport and Exercise Nutrition Conference, Newcastle University, December 2016

Schlingermann, B, Rankin, P and Lodge C.  The effects of the GAA15 (Gaelic Athletic Association 15) on lower extremity injury incidence and neuromuscular functional outcomes in collegiate Gaelic Games. ICSEHS 2016 : 18th International Conference on Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Vancouver, Canada, 2016

Conference Presenatations Poster

Callanan, D, Rankin, P, and Fitzpatrick, P. Game movement demands of interprovincial womens rugby. ECSS, Prague, 2019.

Curristin, M., Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P. Goats milk and whey protein for recovery from repeated sprinting and jumping. ECSS, Prague, 2019.

Curristin, M., Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P. Effects of goats milk versus an energy-matched carbohydrate drink on recovery from repeated sprinting and jumping. International Sports and Exercise Nutrition Conference, Newcastle, UK, December 2017.

Curristin, M., Fitzpatrick, P., Rankin, P., (2017). Effects of goats milk vs an energy matched carbohydrate drink on recovery from team sport performance. All Ireland Postgraduate Conference (AIPG), April 2017 in IT Carlow, Ireland.

Coleman, L., Rankin, P. and O’Hara, R.  A longitudinal study looking at the inflammatory response, novel biomarkers and signalling pathways of Osteoarthritis patients.  December 2017,  IT Carlow Research Day, IT Carlow Ireland

Murray J, Rankin P, Spratt-O’Shea N, Lawlor MJ, O’Donnell S, Moyna N, Kelly SM. Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Physical Activity Levels and Sedentary Behaviour in College Students. Med Sci Sport Ex. Presented to American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, Boston, USA, May, 2016

O’Neill, L., Rankin, P. and O’Hara, R.  Can assessment of synovial fluid and blood specimens for pro- and anti-inflammatory markers predict the type of arthritis patients may develop? In: Inate Immunity Conference. Barcelona April 2015.

Schlingermann B, Rankin P and Lodge C. A study to assess the effect of the Prevent Injury, Enhance Performance programme on lower extremity injury incidence and neuromuscular functional outcomes in Gaelic Games. European Congress of Sport Science, Malmo, Sweden, 2015

Rankin, P., Stevenson, E., and Cockburn, E. The effect of milk on the attenuation of exercise-induced muscle damage in males and females. Presented at the European Congress for Sport Science, Amsterdam, July 2014

Rankin, P., Callanan, D., O Brien, K., Davison, G., Stevenson, E., and Cockburn, E. The effect of milk on recovery from repeated simulated teamsport in females, ECSS, Dublin 2018. 

Curristin, M., Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P. The effects of goats milk, cows milk and an energy-matched carbohydrate drink on recovery from repeated sprinting and jumping in team sport athletes. ECSS, Dublin 2018. 

Callanan, D, Fitzpatrick, P. and Rankin, P. An analysis of game movement demands of interprovincial womens rugby union. ECSS, Dublin 2018.