Screening

The MOBL lab group in the Department of Kinesiology at Umass Amherst is conducting a study to understand how knee extensor muscle fatigue influences the way that we walk and the way that our muscles are working during walking.  

Do you qualify?

To participate in this study, you must be:

• healthy
• non-smoking
• between the ages of 18 and 35 years
• BMI less than 30kg/m2.

You may not:

• participate in >75 minutes/week of vigorous physical activity per week
• be pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant
• have a history of major neurological or neuromuscular conditions such as peripheral neuropathy or cardiovascular disease
• have leg musculoskeletal injury or pain while walking
• have rheumatoid arthritis
• experience symptoms of pain, muscle cramps, joint stiffness, lightheadedness or other contraindications to exercise
• use beta-blockers, sedatives, tranquilizers or other medications that impairs physical function
• have persistent symptoms from a prior COVID-19 infection such as fogginess or fatigue

All participants must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

What will you be asked to do?

Qualified participants would make 1 visit to the UMass Neuromechanics and Biomechanics Labs in Totman Gym.

You will be asked to perform knee muscle strength testing and two bouts of fatiguing knee extension exercise.

You will also be asked to complete 3 short bouts of treadmill walking between bouts of knee extension exercise all while we measure walking patterns and muscle activity using motion capture and non-invasive electromyography sensors.

Eligibility Screening

Before you officially enroll in this research study, I will be asking you to complete a screening questionnaire. It should take you no more than 5 minutes to complete. If you are determined ineligible to participate, or choose not to participate, your completed questionnaire will be destroyed. If you are determined eligible to participate, the completed questionnaire will become part of the study materials. There is always a risk of breach of confidentiality, but we have taken steps to reduce this risk, and will protect your information as confidential and safeguard it from unauthorized disclosure. Only research personnel will have access to the information contained in your screening questionnaire. If the screening questionnaire indicates that you are eligible to participate, we will proceed to obtaining your written informed consent for participation in the study, which will include a description of the study’s aims, risks, benefits, compensation, and what you would do as a participant.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this screening survey or the study, you may contact researcher Erica Casto at ecasto@umass.edu, or faculty advisor Dr. Katherine Boyer at (413) 545-1717. If you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, you may contact the University of Massachusetts Amherst Human Research Protection Office at (413) 545-3429 or humansubjects@ora.umass.edu.