KIP Newsblog

#GivingTuesday

Published
By
#GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving and unity set to take place on May 5, 2020, as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.

Using the link below, monetary gifts go toward attracting top-notch faculty, supporting research programs and innovative curricula, and maintaining research/teaching facilities and equipment in the KIP Department. These educational components underpin our goal of becoming nationally recognized for offering excellent programs in the areas of kinesiology and integrative physiology. Please follow the link to help: https://www.mtu.edu/kip/giving

Continue Reading →

Graduate Student Ben Cockfield Defends his Master’s Thesis

Published
By

This past week Benjamin Cockfield (Traverse City, MI) successfully defended his master’s thesis: “Acute Physiological Responses to Arm Cranking with Blood Flow Restriction”. Over 45 people attended the Zoom video conference presentation. Ben earned his Bachelor’s in Exercise Science from Michigan Tech University in 2018 and has since been working on his Master’s in Kinesiology. Specifically, Ben conducted his research in the Exercise Physiology Laboratory under the supervision of Associate Professor Steven Elmer.

For his research, Ben evaluated the cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and perceptual responses to arm cranking with blood flow restriction. Specifically, with blood flow restriction a pressurized cuff is placed over the arm to partially limit blood from leaving the working muscles. This creates a high-intensity workout for the exercising muscles but without overtaxing the heart, lungs, and joints.

In his research, Ben found that arm cranking with blood flow restriction resulted in a small increase in cardiorespiratory strain and effort, but a large increase in metabolic stress. Increased metabolic stress is thought to be an important mechanism for improving muscle size and strength. Long term, results from Ben’s research could have possible implications for upper-body trained endurance athletes (e.g., cross country skiers, rowers, America’s cup sailors), adults recovering from shoulder injuries, wheelchair users, and older adults. Ben was partially supported by a graduate student fellowship from the Michigan Space Grant Consortium.

Continue Reading →

New minor in Public Health approved

Published
By

The Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology Department at Michigan Tech proudly announces that a Minor is Public Health is now an option for all of our students.

Faucet with running water

Human health is impacted by our individual biology as well as the natural, built, and social environments in which we live, work, and play. Thus, the ability to be health literate and able to integrate a health perspective is important in disciplines beyond traditional health-related and clinical fields. In the past 15 years there has been a growing recognition of the importance academia plays in teaching these skills. In 2002, an Institute of Medicine report recognized the need to better educate the public health workforce and partners that play key roles in the health of our communities who are not in traditional public health positions. A subsequent report expanded that call for public health education, recommending that “all undergraduates should have access to education in public health”. This widespread need to understand population health and health impacts was further highlighted when, in 2011, the U.S. federal government adopted a “Health in All Policies (HiAP)” strategy. A HiAP approach recognizes the importance of considering health across all fields in both the public and private sectors. The new Minor in Public Health will introduce students to the growing field of public health and the need to include a population health perspective in many of the university’s existing degrees. 

The audit check list is being created

Continue Reading →

Does Fasting Help Cardiovascular Health?

Published
By

Are you interested in helping us learn if fasting improves cardiovascular health?

Variety of veggies and fruit

We are recruiting participants for a research study investigating how an intermittent fasting program impacts cardiovascular health. This study involves a 4 week control period followed by a 6 week period of intermittent fasting.

For this study you will be asked to do the following:

  • Visit the lab 8 times over 10 weeks
  • Fast twice weekly for 6 weeks

For those participating in this study you will receive

  • Monetary compensation
  • Information about your body composition and cardiovascular health

Eligibility Requirements:

  • 18 to 40 years old
  • No acute or chronic health conditions, injured, or recent surgery
  • No history of eating disorders
  • Normal resting heart rate and blood pressure
  • Do not smoke or vape more than once a month
  • Not currently participating in a fasting program
  • Pre-menopausal with a regular menstrual cycle typically lasting 15 to 45 days
  • Not breastfeeding, pregnant, or trying to become pregnant
  • Not currently using oral, injection, or implantable contraception.

If you are interested, please contact us using the information below or send us your contact info by using the QR Code or link.

QR Code
Continue Reading →

Participants Needed Upper Body Exercise Study

Published
By
Heart shape with heartbeat

We are recruiting healthy adults to perform an upper-body endurance exercise test. Your participation will help us develop a heart-rate based equation to better prescribe exercise for healthy and clinical populations.

You may be eligible to participate in this research study at Michigan Technological Univesity if you:

  • Are between the ages of 18-80
  • Do not smoke
  • Are not diabetic
  • Have never had a heart attack or stroke
  • Do not have a cardiopulmonary condition
  • Do not take any heart or blood pressure medication
  • Do not have any implanted devices such as a pacemaker or pain pump.

For more information, contact Jana Hendrickson at janah@mtu.edu or 906-369-3648

Continue Reading →