Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management

Integrative Musculoskeletal Research Lab

The Integrative Musculoskeletal Research Lab aims to identify the precise way the nervous, musculoskeletal and fascial systems interact to create movement in our upper arms. The lab utilizes this information to help the development of preventative and rehabilitative strategies related to shoulder disorders.

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Overview

  • Our goals

    Dr. Scribbans’ innovative research program aims to delineate how the nervous, musculoskeletal and fascial (neuromyofascial) systems interact to produce and influence movement and force production of the upper limb in healthy individuals and those with shoulder disorders.

    The lab's unique program uses an integrative approach to examine multiple systems at a variety of biological levels. The program is driven by the team's diverse research experience, education and clinical expertise.

  • Key areas of research

    • Musculoskeletal systems
    • Nervous systems
    • Neuromyofascial systems
    • Upper limb movements
    • Shoulder disorders
    • Rehab strategies

     

Investigators

  • Trisha Scribban

    Primary investigator

    Dr. Trisha Scribbans worked as an athletic and massage therapist throughout her graduate training. These experiences gave her first-hand knowledge of the challenges in preventing and rehabilitating shoulder disorders. Combining her clinical experience and research expertise give her a deep understanding of the interaction between contractile and non-contractile tissues and the relationships between anatomical structures and physiology.

  • Students

    • Kara Fulawaka
    • Rebecca Franklin
    • Melina Kaluzny

     

Projects

  • The impact of different stretch intensities on muscle stiffness in the upper limb.
  • The acute effect of eccentric quasi-isometric (EQI) exercise on the neurological manifestations of fatigue, kinetics and kinematics between the sexes. 
  • The impact of EQI and eccentric resistance training on musculotendinous adaptations in untrained males and females.
  • Determining the distribution of muscle activation within the upper, middle and lower trapezius in individuals with and without scapular dyskinesis and its relationship to scapular kinematics.
  • Defining the neuromuscular response of several shoulder muscles between the sexes and older and younger adults in response to fatiguing isometric contractions.
  • Characterize differences in fatigability within several upper limb muscles (trapezius, biceps, pectorals major, etc.) in response to different contraction intensities, intermittent and continuous contractions and different work-rest ratios.
  • Examining the neuromuscular and kinematic response of the lumbar spine and paraspinal muscles in response to a prolonged standing task.

Publications

2021

Bohunicky S., Henderson Z. J., Dacanay, M., Simon N., Scribbans T. D. (2021). Acute Effect of Inhibitory Kinesio-tape of the Upper Trapezius on Lower Trapezius Muscle Excitation in Healthy Shoulders. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies; 27, 393-401.

Schleper A., Ewharekuko Rempel M, Scribbans T., Anzalone R, Villar R. (2021) Effects of Dynamic Warm-Up on Anaerobic Performance: A Randomized, Counterbalanced, and Cross-Over Study. Journal of Sports Science.

Henderson, Z. J., Bohunicky, S., Rochon, J., Dacany, M., & Scribbans, T. D. (2021). Muscle activation in specific regions of the trapezius during modified Kendall manual muscle tests. Journal of Athletic Training (in press).

Bohunicky, S., Harrison, K., Rutherford, L., Scribbans, T. D. (2021). Myofascial Release of the Pectoral Fascia: Effect on Shoulder Posture, Pectoral Length, and Muscle Activity. The Journal of Athletic Training and Sports Health Care, 13(5): 356-357.

2020

Henderson, Z. J., & Scribbans, T. D.(2020). Intrauterine contraception and athletic performance: Where is the data? Health and Fitness Journal of Canada, 13(2), 37-45.

Bergen, B.P., Rochon, J.A., Bohunicky, S., Lesany, A., Scribbans, T.D. (2020) Towards Restoring Scapular Position and Motion Through Mapping Muscle Activation in the Trapezius: a Pilot Study. Athletic Training and Sports Health Care, 12(3):136-144.

Fulawka, K., Schleper, A., Scribbans, T.D., Anzalone, R., Villar, R. (2020) Sex Differences in Anaerobic Performance of Ice Hockey Players With Dynamic Stretching Warm-up. (poster presentation) Presented at Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology 53rd Annual General Meeting: Strengthening our Performance, Keeping our Connections, Virtual Conference. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 45 (Suppl. 3), S299.*

Bohunicky S., Henderson Z. J., Simon N., Scribbans T. D. (2020) Effect of inhibitory kinesio-tape to the upper trapezius on lower trapezius muscle activation: A pilot study. (poster presentation). Presented at Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology 53rd Annual General Meeting: Strengthening our Performance, Keeping our Connections, Virtual Conference. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 45, No.11(Suppl. 3), S289.*

Slagerman, A. M., Henderson, Z. J., Dacanay, M. & Scribbans, T. D. (2020). Does manual muscle testing of the middle and lower trapezius preferentially recruit these segments? (poster presentation). Presented at the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology, Virtual Congress.

Bergen, B.P., Rochon, J.A., Bohunicky, S., Lesany, A., Scribbans, T.D. (2020) Towards Restoring Scapular Position and Motion Through Mapping Muscle Activation in the Trapezius: a Pilot Study (poster presentation). Presented at the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology, Virtual Congress.

Bohunicky S., Dacanay M., Slagerman A., Scribbans T. D. (2020) Myofascial Release of the Pectoral Fascia: Effect on Shoulder Posture, Pectoral Length, Muscle Activity, and Movement Performance: A Pilot Study (poster presentation). Presented at the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology, Virtual Congress.

Bohunicky S., Henderson Z. J., Simon N., Scribbans T. D. (2020) Effect of inhibitory kinesio-tape to the upper trapezius on lower trapezius muscle activation: A pilot study. (poster presentation). Presented at the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology, Virtual Congress.

Dacanay, M., Bohunicky, S., Scribbans, T. D. (2020) Does Forward Shoulder Posture Impact The Ratio Of Activation Of Scapular Retractors To Protractors: A Pilot Study. (poster presentation). Presented at the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology, Virtual Congress.

2019

Henderson, Z. J., Sovinska, O., Rochon, J. A., Rossi, S., Scribbans, T. D. (2019). Submaximal and Maximal Scapular Retraction Activates Similar Regions of the Middle Trapezius: a Pilot Study (oral and poster presentation).  Presented at the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association National Conference, Calgary, Canada. Athletic Training and Sports Health Care, 11(3):147-152.

2018

Gurd, B.J., Patel, J., Edgett, B.A., Scribbans, T.D., Quadrilatero, J. and Fischer, S.L., 2018. The efficacy of a whole body sprint-interval training intervention in an office setting: A feasibility study. Work 60 (2), 295-301.

2017

Scribbans TD, Edgett BA, Bonafiglia JT, Boonstra K, Quadrilatero J, and Gurd BJ. (2017).  A systematic upregulation of nuclear and mitochondrial genes is not present in the initial post-exercise recovery period in human skeletal muscle. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 999: 1-8.

Carson IN, Batson MJ, Tranmer JE, Scribbans TD, Gurd BJ and Pyke KE. (2017). Cardiovascular and cortisol reactivity to acute mental stress in female shift and non-shift workers: a pilot study. SAGE Open Nursing 3, 2377960817709181.

Bonafiglia JT, Edgett BA, Scribbans TD, Little JP, and Gurd BJ. (2017). Examining the Impact of Different Exercise Protocols on PGC-1α and FNDC5 mRNA Expression in Human Skeletal Muscle. The FASEB Journal 31 (1 Supplement), lb736-lb736.

2016

Scribbans TD, Vecsey S, Hankinson PB, Foster WS, and Gurd BJ. (2016). The effect of training intensity on VO2max in young healthy adults: A meta-regression and meta-analysis. International Journal of Exercise Science 9(2):230-247.  

Edgett BA, Scribbans TD, Raleigh JP, Matusiak JB, Boonstra K, Simpson CA, Perry CG, Quadrilatero J, Gurd BJ. (2016). The impact of a 48-hour fast on SIRT1 and GCN5 in human skeletal muscle. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. May 5(ja).  

Raleigh JP, Giles MD, Scribbans TD, Edgett BA, Sawula LJ, Bonafiglia JT, Graham RB, Gurd BJ. The impact of work-matched interval training on VO2peak and VO2 kinetics: diminishing returns with increasing intensity. (2016) Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. Feb 29(ja).
 

2015

Gurd BJ, Giles MD, Bonafiglia JT, Raleigh JP, Boyd JC, Ma JK, Zelt JG, Scribbans TD. (2015) Incidence of nonresponse and individual patterns of response following sprint interval training. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. Nov 3;41(3):229-34.  

Walsh JJ, Scribbans TD, Bentley RF, Kellawan JM, Gurd B, Tschakovsky ME. (2015) Neurotrophic growth factor responses to lower body resistance training in older adults. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. Nov 18;41(3):315-23.

Joanisse S, McKay BR, Nederveen JP, Scribbans TD, Gurd BJ, Gillen JB, et al. (2015) Satellite cell activity, without expansion, following non-hypertrophic stimuli in humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol: ajpregu-00249.
 

Funding sources