Children born with an absent or ineffective right or left ventricle (single ventricle) have a low life expectancy and will undergo at least three surgical procedures ultimately leading to the Fontan Procedure (FP), which allows blood to travel directly to the lungs (bypassing the heart) to become oxygenated. Adolescent FP-patients indicate poor cardiovascular health which […]

Studies of concussive events have shown that the response of the brain during an impact may not be the most reliable predictor of concussion, since the injury may be more closely related to the forces affecting the brainstem. A laboratory crash test protocol was developed to simulate player-to-player collisions in contact sports using crash test […]

Canadian children are currently not meeting the daily amount of physical activity recommended to reduce their risk for negative health outcomes. The RA Centre in Ottawa, Ontario has the resources to offer various sport opportunities to children and recognizes the need to develop programs that are developmentally appropriate and accessible for children with lower physical […]

This project will investigate the effects of using the Q collar to apply gentle pressure to the jugular veins of the neck to monitor changes in brain (cerebrovascular) physiology during exercise and postural changes. Specifically we will investigate changes in brain blood flow velocity, relative changes in blood volume and oxygen levels, and changes in […]

The environmental stress of altitude and heat have both been shown to elicit divergent adaptive responses and are used by elite athletes to augment training adaptation and subsequent performance.   Indeed, 3-4 weeks at moderate altitudes can increase the body’s natural erythropoietin (EPO) responses, raising hemoglobin by 4-6% and enhancing endurance performance.  Conversely, as little as […]

Voltage-gated sodium channels are key contributors to excitability in living organisms; hence, modulation of these channels through mutations and/or environmental triggers can often lead to serious disorders. Having an enriched understanding of the sodium channel electrophysiology may result in uncovering potential therapeutic targets. The general aims of our research include studying the effects of various […]

It is clear that TBI affects a large proportion of survivors of IPV, yet the supports and services provided to this population typically do not take TBI into account. Gaining a better understanding of the barriers and facilitators to TBI knowledge and awareness for staff working in this sector and using this knowledge to inform […]

It has been shown that topically applied gels, which contain menthol, result in a cooling sensation and reduce the sensation of pain. Because neuromuscular endurance activity leads to sweating and muscle pain we seek to discover the effect of BioFreeze on various forms of neuromuscular endurance activity and muscle soreness. This discovery will require 3 […]

The goal of the project is to evaluate and refine an app-based questionnaire that provides a multi-faceted assessment of the social dynamics and culture of teams and organizations. This partnership and multi-phase project with VictoryLab involves (a) systematically examining and refining their questionnaire items to ensure their app-based assessment tool provides valid and reliable insights […]

Public bikeshares intend to provide an active, accessible, environmentally friendly and compact transportation alternative—particularly useful for travelling short distances and the “last mile” of a trips to and within a busy, dense urban core. In 2016 Vancouver launched a public bikeshare. Vancouver’s climate, culture, and bike route system provides a strong foundation for success, but […]

Physical literacy means developing the foundational skills and the confidence required to participate in regular physical activity, play a sport or get to the podium. Research shows that physical activity levels start to decline as children enter into adolescence. Recreation organizations, such as YMCA Calgary are interested in finding out how their programs help support […]

Benefit payments totaled 2.5 billion dollars for Ontario workplaces in 2015. The most common injury resulting in occupational lost time claims is a strain or sprain. These injuries indicate that despite massive efforts to reduce musculoskeletal injuries in Canadian workplaces, these issues are still a prominent source of disability and have an associated $2.5 billion […]