Curling looks like a safe enough sport but a new study has revealed a health risk attached to delivering the stone.

The effects of setting the stone off to its target followed by a toe-slide, with the top of the foot moving along the ice, have been examined in the research.

Iona Robertson, a BMSc student studying Applied Orthopaedic Technology at Dundee University, has been working with members of the Men’s British Curling Team from the 2014 Winter Olympics on a project examining the stresses placed on the knees of people playing the sport.

Olympians David Murdoch, Scott Andrews and Michael Goodfellow have helped Ms Robertson examine a theory that toe-sliding delivery is more likely to cause knee injury.

Measurements were taken in flat-foot and toe-slide positions by using pressure-sensitive insoles.

She said: “Although the final results of the study are not complete yet, the data collected so far looks very promising in that the calculated joint forces in the knee are significantly higher for toe slides than flat-footed slides.”