Pac-12 Research Grants Program

As a key pillar of the Pac-12 SAHWBI, the Pac-12 Grant Program offers research funding to support the advancement of Pac-12 student-athlete health and well-being and has made it a priority to research and develop best practices for general improvements in these areas.

The Pac-12 Conference has committed approximately $3,500,000 per year in research grants for projects at Pac-12 institutions designed to improve the health, general well-being, and safety of student-athletes at all Conference member universities. Partners who are interested in collaborating in Pac-12 supported research projects should contact university staff directly or the Pac-12 Conference to find possible research partners. Specific topics of interest to Pac-12 member institutions include:

Head Trauma
Prevention of Sudden Death (Cardiac, Temperature Matters, Hydration)
Overuse Injuries / Injury Prevention
Emergency Care - Planning / Prevention of Emergent Medical Events
Student-Athlete Well Being (Sleep, Nutrition, Mental Health)
Data Driven Decisions (Use of Pac-12 Health Analytics Program - HAP) such as expansion of Presagia platform (e.g. software development) or sports injury epidemiology.

Research Grant Awardee Accomplishments & Publications

Since its inception, awardees of the Pac-12 Research Grant Program have seen a long list of accomplishments and publications for their work funded by the Pac-12 SAHWBI.

To see a full list of accomplishments, abstracts & publications, see here:

Pac-12 Funded Grants: Publications (Google Sheet)
Pac-12 Funded Grants: Conference Presentations/Abstracts (Google Doc)
Pac-12 Funded Grants: Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals (Google Doc)

Pac-12 Grant Awardees By Year

PI: Dr. Daniel Taylor – University of Arizona

University of Arizona

Title: Pac-12 Test of the Effectiveness of Bodies in Motion in Reducing Disordered Eating and Body Image Concerns, and Improving Psychological Well-Being, Among Male and Female Student-Athletes
Project Summary: The Bodies in Motion (BIM) program was established as an acceptable, evidence-based intervention that improved the body image and psychological well-being in a sample of primarily Caucasian, female-identifying athletes who suffered from body image and disordered eating concerns. The upcoming project aims to examine the effectiveness of BIM with a racially/ethnically diverse group of female and male-identifying athletes with body image concerns. Participants should have immediate well-being and mental health benefits from their involvement in BIM, with athletes who previously completed the program viewing what they learned in BIM as central to their successful transition out of college sports.

Title: Pac-12 Test of the Effectiveness of Bodies in Motion in Reducing Disordered Eating and Body Image Concerns, and Improving Psychological Well-Being, Among Male and Female Student-Athletes

Project Summary: The Bodies in Motion (BIM) program was established as an acceptable, evidence-based intervention that improved the body image and psychological well-being in a sample of primarily Caucasian, female-identifying athletes who suffered from body image and disordered eating concerns. The upcoming project aims to examine the effectiveness of BIM with a racially/ethnically diverse group of female and male-identifying athletes with body image concerns. Participants should have immediate well-being and mental health benefits from their involvement in BIM, with athletes who previously completed the program viewing what they learned in BIM as central to their successful transition out of college sports.

PI: Dr. Marc Norcross – Oregon State University

Oregon State University

Title: Determining Musculoskeletal Injury Risk and Risk Patterns following Concussion and SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Project Summary: This project aims to: determine if student-athletes are at increased risk for muscular or bone-related injury following a concussion or coronavirus infection, identify the specific types of injuries that they may be at increased risk of sustaining, and determine when risk returns to baseline. It is believed that the completion of this study will inform best-practice recommendations that Pac-12 clinicians can use to help guide return to play decisions and minimize student-athletes’ risk of injury following a concussion or coronavirus infection.

Title: Determining Musculoskeletal Injury Risk and Risk Patterns following Concussion and SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Project Summary: This project aims to:

determine if student-athletes are at increased risk for muscular or bone-related injury following a concussion or coronavirus infection,
identify the specific types of injuries that they may be at increased risk of sustaining, and
determine when risk returns to baseline.

It is believed that the completion of this study will inform best-practice recommendations that Pac-12 clinicians can use to help guide return to play decisions and minimize student-athletes’ risk of injury following a concussion or coronavirus infection.

Pac-12 Student-Athlete Research & Travel Awards

Colorado, UCLA, Washington and Washington State

Title: Pac-12 Student-Athlete Travel Awards for 2022 Student-Athlete Health Conference
Summary: Four current or former student-athletes appeared at the 2022 Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health Conference to present research projects that benefited from travel funding provided by the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Research and Travel Awards. Women’s soccer players Chloe Castaneda (UCLA) and Elisabeth Geraghty (Colorado) and cross country/track & field athletes Samantha Boyle (Washington State) and Melany Smart (Washington) conducted research with access to data provided by the Pac-12 Health Analytics Program. Primary research topics included incidence of stress fractures, tendon and bone overuse injuries, and concussion analysis across sport and non-sport activities. The student-athletes spoke positively about the opportunity to earn poster presentation experience and solicit constructive feedback from medical professionals on site at the conference.

Title: Pac-12 Student-Athlete Travel Awards for 2022 Student-Athlete Health Conference

Summary: Four current or former student-athletes appeared at the 2022 Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health Conference to present research projects that benefited from travel funding provided by the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Research and Travel Awards. Women’s soccer players Chloe Castaneda (UCLA) and Elisabeth Geraghty (Colorado) and cross country/track & field athletes Samantha Boyle (Washington State) and Melany Smart (Washington) conducted research with access to data provided by the Pac-12 Health Analytics Program. Primary research topics included incidence of stress fractures, tendon and bone overuse injuries, and concussion analysis across sport and non-sport activities. The student-athletes spoke positively about the opportunity to earn poster presentation experience and solicit constructive feedback from medical professionals on site at the conference.

PI: Dr. Andrew Lovering – University of Oregon

Co-PI: Dr. Hans Haverkamp – Washington State University

University of Oregon

Title: Impact of COVID-19 on student athlete lung function and diffusing capacity
Project Summary: The healthy lung can limit exercise performance in the well-trained athletic population so lung health is critical for optimal well-being and athletic performance. This study aims to measure lung function and diffusing capacity in a large cohort of young health Pac-12 athletes pre-COVID19 infections and then will repeat these measures in the same cohort near the end of the grant period. These non-invasive, objective lung tests have very clear performance criteria, are standard clinical measures that are internationally validated and are considered gold standards for measuring lung health and function. They will determine the association of disease severity with the measures of lung function.

Title: Impact of COVID-19 on student athlete lung function and diffusing capacity

Project Summary: The healthy lung can limit exercise performance in the well-trained athletic population so lung health is critical for optimal well-being and athletic performance.

This study aims to measure lung function and diffusing capacity in a large cohort of young health Pac-12 athletes pre-COVID19 infections and then will repeat these measures in the same cohort near the end of the grant period.
These non-invasive, objective lung tests have very clear performance criteria, are standard clinical measures that are internationally validated and are considered gold standards for measuring lung health and function.
They will determine the association of disease severity with the measures of lung function.

PI: The Student Athlete Health and Well-Being Initiative Board and the Pac-12 Mental Health Task Force

Project Director: Dr. Daniel Taylor, Project Team: Dr. Alex Auerbach, Dr. Michael Grandner & Dr. John Ruiz

University of Arizona

Title: The Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Mental Health Coordinating Unit
Project Summary: The Mental Health Coordinating Unit (MHCU) was established in 2020. The unit works with the Pac-12 SAHWBI Board and Mental Health Task Force help to: Facilitate and define the addition of mental health variables for the Pac-12’s Presagia database (a cloud-based software solution for simplifying and sharing health record information and data anonymously across all 12 universities), Establish mental health screening methods consistent with NCAA best practice recommendations to be implemented at each Pac-12 university, Facilitate policies and procedures that address positive mental health screening methods and Reports on epidemiologic outcomes at the end of the study’s period with an initial phase of activities set for three years Led by a program director from a Pac-12 university, the MHCU will begin on the campus of the University of Arizona as the Wildcats’ program serves as a model for future implementation across all Pac-12 universities.

Title: The Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Mental Health Coordinating Unit

Project Summary: The Mental Health Coordinating Unit (MHCU) was established in 2020. The unit works with the Pac-12 SAHWBI Board and Mental Health Task Force help to:

Facilitate and define the addition of mental health variables for the Pac-12’s Presagia database (a cloud-based software solution for simplifying and sharing health record information and data anonymously across all 12 universities),
Establish mental health screening methods consistent with NCAA best practice recommendations to be implemented at each Pac-12 university,
Facilitate policies and procedures that address positive mental health screening methods and
Reports on epidemiologic outcomes at the end of the study’s period with an initial phase of activities set for three years

Led by a program director from a Pac-12 university, the MHCU will begin on the campus of the University of Arizona as the Wildcats’ program serves as a model for future implementation across all Pac-12 universities.

Co PIs: Dr. Mark D’Esposito (CAL) and Dr. Cathra Halabi (UCSF)

Co-PIs: Dr. Ben Inglis (UCSF) and Dr. Wade Smith (UCSF)

University of California, Berkeley collaborating with University of California, San Francisco

Title: Head Trauma: Advancing New Biomarker Tests for Concussion Diagnosis and Recovery
Project Summary: The human brain is impacted by blood flow with each heartbeat with 25 percent of cardiac output directed toward the head. This flow generates a measurable pulse through the brain described by this study as the “headpulse.” This pulse can be measured noninvasively via a portable device. Developing the practice for measuring this biomarker will alleviate current challenges in predicting concussion resolution due to the lack of objective indicators. This study will also aim to characterize the brain’s recovery from sports-related concussions using an approach comprised of intermittent headpulse measurements in addition to current common practices. This study hypothesizes that the restoration of headpulse patterns to normal values will parallel improvements in key metrics. Ultimately, it is of this research team’s belief that tracking the headpulse may support safer release of student-athletes to normal activities following concussions in addition to other added benefits in healthcare.

Title: Head Trauma: Advancing New Biomarker Tests for Concussion Diagnosis and Recovery

Project Summary: The human brain is impacted by blood flow with each heartbeat with 25 percent of cardiac output directed toward the head. This flow generates a measurable pulse through the brain described by this study as the “headpulse.” This pulse can be measured noninvasively via a portable device. Developing the practice for measuring this biomarker will alleviate current challenges in predicting concussion resolution due to the lack of objective indicators. This study will also aim to characterize the brain’s recovery from sports-related concussions using an approach comprised of intermittent headpulse measurements in addition to current common practices. This study hypothesizes that the restoration of headpulse patterns to normal values will parallel improvements in key metrics. Ultimately, it is of this research team’s belief that tracking the headpulse may support safer release of student-athletes to normal activities following concussions in addition to other added benefits in healthcare.

PI: Dr. Cathleen Crowell

Co-PI: Dr. Viktor Bovbjerg

Oregon State University

Title: Injury Prevention: Documenting Overuse and Non-Time-Loss Injuries
Project Summary: Sports injury epidemiology has historically excluded overuse and non-time-loss injuries. Instead, research has focused on acute and time-loss injuries, despite the potential for overuse and non-time-loss injuries to hinder performance and influence long-term health. This study seeks to report the epidemiology of overuse and non-time-loss injuries across multiple Pac-12 sports while also identifying potential factors that may influence the occurrence of such injuries. The study will also look to report on the workload burden for healthcare utilization associated with treatment of such injuries. Conducting the research will help identify risk factors for overuse and non-time-loss injuries as well as provide details on the number and types of treatments and encounters. Results of this study will help inform decisions regarding injury prevention, holistic health and appropriate medical coverage, as the study’s findings will be of use for all sports medicine clinicians across the Pac-12.

Title: Injury Prevention: Documenting Overuse and Non-Time-Loss Injuries

Project Summary: Sports injury epidemiology has historically excluded overuse and non-time-loss injuries. Instead, research has focused on acute and time-loss injuries, despite the potential for overuse and non-time-loss injuries to hinder performance and influence long-term health. This study seeks to report the epidemiology of overuse and non-time-loss injuries across multiple Pac-12 sports while also identifying potential factors that may influence the occurrence of such injuries. The study will also look to report on the workload burden for healthcare utilization associated with treatment of such injuries. Conducting the research will help identify risk factors for overuse and non-time-loss injuries as well as provide details on the number and types of treatments and encounters. Results of this study will help inform decisions regarding injury prevention, holistic health and appropriate medical coverage, as the study’s findings will be of use for all sports medicine clinicians across the Pac-12.

PI: Dr. Daniel Cushman

Co-PIs: Dr. Masa Teramoto (Utah), Dr. David Petron (Utah), Dr. Amy Powell (Utah), Dr. Sarah Eby (Utah), Dr. Justin Rigby (Utah), Dr. Michael Fredericson (Stanford), Dr. Blake Corcoran (WSU) and Dr. Leyen Vu (WSU)

University of Utah collaborating with Stanford University and Washington State University

Title: Injury Prevention: Utilizing Ultrasound Imaging to Detect Precursors of Achilles Tendon, Patellar Tendon and Plantar Fascia Injuries
Project Summary: The patellar tendon, and Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia are common athletic injuries. These often result in prolonged recovery times, decreased performance and can also derail promising athletic careers. This study seeks to develop a method of using brief preseason ultrasound examinations of the bilateral patellar tendon, Achilles tendon and plantar fascia to identify precursors to injury of each. With the collaboration of select Pac-12 universities, the examinations will be performed prior to each academic season for a total of three years, first identifying subgroups of student-athletes with tendon and/or fascia abnormalities and those without before looking closer at those who develop such injuries as seasons progress. This research will provide impacts in the short-term by creating an easily-implemented procedure to help identify such injury risks as well as long-term by helping develop strategies to prevent future tendon and/or fascia injuries.

Title: Injury Prevention: Utilizing Ultrasound Imaging to Detect Precursors of Achilles Tendon, Patellar Tendon and Plantar Fascia Injuries

Project Summary: The patellar tendon, and Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia are common athletic injuries. These often result in prolonged recovery times, decreased performance and can also derail promising athletic careers. This study seeks to develop a method of using brief preseason ultrasound examinations of the bilateral patellar tendon, Achilles tendon and plantar fascia to identify precursors to injury of each. With the collaboration of select Pac-12 universities, the examinations will be performed prior to each academic season for a total of three years, first identifying subgroups of student-athletes with tendon and/or fascia abnormalities and those without before looking closer at those who develop such injuries as seasons progress. This research will provide impacts in the short-term by creating an easily-implemented procedure to help identify such injury risks as well as long-term by helping develop strategies to prevent future tendon and/or fascia injuries.

PI: Dr. Michael Fredericson (Stanford) and Dr. Aurelia Nattiv (University of California, Los Angeles)

Stanford University & University of California, Los Angeles

Title: Improving Bone Health and Reducing the Incidence of Bone Stress Injuries in Pac-12 Distance Runners: An Implementation Plan Focusing on Health Promotion, Optimal Fueling and Changing Culture.
Project Summary: The primary objective this project is to improve bone health and reduce the incidence of bone stress injuries in female and male distance runners (the highest risk groups) across all Pac-12 schools. This will be based on the successful results of their recently completed 3-year prospective study funded by the Pac-12. Pac-12 institutions will apply a universal risk stratification system based on evidence-based risk factor assessment to measure energy availability, disordered eating, menstrual irregularities, low bone mass, and prior bone stress injuries. They will also utilize an active nutrition education program emphasizing achievement of a positive energy balance. This intervention will optimize the health status of athletes by addressing low energy availability and disordered eating, restoring normal menstrual function, and increasing bone mineral density. Anticipated outcomes include changing team “culture” from a focus on injury treatment to injury prevention and health promotion.

Title: Improving Bone Health and Reducing the Incidence of Bone Stress Injuries in Pac-12 Distance Runners: An Implementation Plan Focusing on Health Promotion, Optimal Fueling and Changing Culture.

Project Summary: The primary objective this project is to improve bone health and reduce the incidence of bone stress injuries in female and male distance runners (the highest risk groups) across all Pac-12 schools.

This will be based on the successful results of their recently completed 3-year prospective study funded by the Pac-12.
Pac-12 institutions will apply a universal risk stratification system based on evidence-based risk factor assessment to measure energy availability, disordered eating, menstrual irregularities, low bone mass, and prior bone stress injuries.
They will also utilize an active nutrition education program emphasizing achievement of a positive energy balance. This intervention will optimize the health status of athletes by addressing low energy availability and disordered eating, restoring normal menstrual function, and increasing bone mineral density.
Anticipated outcomes include changing team “culture” from a focus on injury treatment to injury prevention and health promotion.

PI: Dr. Theresa Hernandez

Co-PI: Dr. Adam Bohr

University of Colorado, Boulder

Title: Student Athlete Health and Well-Being: Looking at the Past to Inform the Future
Project Summary: In collecting and utilizing data from former student-athletes to inform current best practices, this study will assess longitudinal patterns of physical and psychological health while paying attention to the presence of chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.) and mental health diagnoses in student-athlete alumni compared to cohort matched student non-athlete alumni. The research will also aim to build upon previous related research by assessing socioeconomic and first-generation status as group profiles, as well as modifying factors of student-athlete health following their collegiate careers. The goal of this research is not only to characterize life-course trajectories, but also to utilize this information to identify best practices, thereby creating opportunities to improve and optimize the overall health and well-being of current and future student-athletes.

Title: Student Athlete Health and Well-Being: Looking at the Past to Inform the Future

Project Summary: In collecting and utilizing data from former student-athletes to inform current best practices, this study will assess longitudinal patterns of physical and psychological health while paying attention to the presence of chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.) and mental health diagnoses in student-athlete alumni compared to cohort matched student non-athlete alumni. The research will also aim to build upon previous related research by assessing socioeconomic and first-generation status as group profiles, as well as modifying factors of student-athlete health following their collegiate careers. The goal of this research is not only to characterize life-course trajectories, but also to utilize this information to identify best practices, thereby creating opportunities to improve and optimize the overall health and well-being of current and future student-athletes.

PI: Dr. Christopher Yakacki

Co-PIs: Dr. Peter Jenkins, Dr. R. Dana Carpenter, Dr. Kai Yu, Dr. Sourav Poddar

University of Colorado, Boulder & Denver

Title: Head Trauma: Designing Safer Helmets Using Advanced Materials and Modeling
Project Summary: The University of Colorado's Boulder and Denver campuses have worked together to research football helmet design with a focus on lowering the severity of impacts and reducing the prevalence of concussions in the sport. Recently, the NFL released several computer models of helmets to investigate the influence of helmet materials and designs on head impacts. This study seeks to leverage this state-of-the-art technology and create new models to improve helmet safety using a recently developed high-performance polymer called liquid-crystal elastomers (LCEs). The LCEs will be incorporated in the helmet models and virtually tested to optimize their design. This approach will allow the investigators to rapidly test and evaluate the performance of new materials in helmets, without having to manufacture and physically validate each new configuration. Publications: Mills ST, Young, TS, Chatham LS, Poddar, S, Carpenter RD, Yakacki, CM. Effect of foam densification and impact velocity on the performance of a football helmet using computational modeling. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. Published online: August 25, 2020

Title: Head Trauma: Designing Safer Helmets Using Advanced Materials and Modeling

Project Summary: The University of Colorado's Boulder and Denver campuses have worked together to research football helmet design with a focus on lowering the severity of impacts and reducing the prevalence of concussions in the sport. Recently, the NFL released several computer models of helmets to investigate the influence of helmet materials and designs on head impacts. This study seeks to leverage this state-of-the-art technology and create new models to improve helmet safety using a recently developed high-performance polymer called liquid-crystal elastomers (LCEs). The LCEs will be incorporated in the helmet models and virtually tested to optimize their design. This approach will allow the investigators to rapidly test and evaluate the performance of new materials in helmets, without having to manufacture and physically validate each new configuration.

Publications:

Mills ST, Young, TS, Chatham LS, Poddar, S, Carpenter RD, Yakacki, CM. Effect of foam densification and impact velocity on the performance of a football helmet using computational modeling. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. Published online: August 25, 2020

PIs: Dr. Angela Lumba-Brown

Co-PIs: Dr. Jamshid Ghajar (Stanford), Dr. Masa Teramoto (Utah), Dr. Matthew McQueen (Colorado), Dr. Douglas Aukerman (OSU), Dr. Kimberly Harmon (UW), Dr. David Petron (Utah), Dr. Sourav Poddar (Colorado) and Russ Romano (USC)

Stanford University collaborating with the University of Colorado, Oregon State University, University of Southern California, University of Utah and University of Washington

Title: Head Trauma: The Subtypes of Concussion – Classification and Recovery Trajectories in Pac-12 Student Athletes
Project Summary: The goal for this study is to advance the science of concussion care and change how concussions are diagnosed and managed, allowing for earlier and more focused rehabilitation and treatments. By performing clinical research, this study will look to characterize and compare concussion subtypes over time and by gender, sport, school and medical history, including cardiovascular health, while also assessing recovery trajectories by concussion subtypes over a six-month span to allow for anticipated outcomes and targeted-treatment options. Presentations: Lumba-Brown, L. Tips and Tools to Implement Concussion Guidelines, Hawaii Department of Health Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii February 14, 2020.

Title: Head Trauma: The Subtypes of Concussion – Classification and Recovery Trajectories in Pac-12 Student Athletes

Project Summary: The goal for this study is to advance the science of concussion care and change how concussions are diagnosed and managed, allowing for earlier and more focused rehabilitation and treatments. By performing clinical research, this study will look to characterize and compare concussion subtypes over time and by gender, sport, school and medical history, including cardiovascular health, while also assessing recovery trajectories by concussion subtypes over a six-month span to allow for anticipated outcomes and targeted-treatment options.

Presentations:

Lumba-Brown, L. Tips and Tools to Implement Concussion Guidelines, Hawaii Department of Health Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii February 14, 2020.

PI: Dr. Lori Michener

Co-PIs: Dr. Andrew Karduna (UO) and Dr. Roksana Karim (USC)

University of Southern California collaborating with the University of Oregon and University of California, Los Angeles

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Protection: Biomechanical metrics to improve performance and reduce elbow injuries in baseball
Project Summary: A common problem among baseball players is an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) at the elbow. The UCL provides ~50% counter to elbow force (varus torque) during pitching, putting the UCL at risk for injury. Elbow varus torque increases as ball velocity increases, but not for all pitchers. Elbow varus torque may be mediated by player physical factors, such as muscle performance, joint motion, and stability. The knowledge gap is understanding the ball velocity - elbow varus torque relationship, and how physical factors can mediate the relationship to reduce elbow varus torque. This study will aim to characterize player risk of UCL injuries by developing player profiles that can be used to: 1) target the identified physical factors to reduce injuries and inform rehabilitation after injury, 2) specify return to sport criteria and 3) guide performance enhancement. Presentations: Garcia NS, Lobb NJ, Barrack AJ, Zerega RJ, Yasen A, Rittenberry HB, Karduna AR, Michener, LA. The Pitcher-Specific Relationship between Pitch Velocity and Elbow Valgus Torque. American Physical Therapy Association - Combined Sections Meeting, Virtual 2/20/2021. Barrack AJ, Lobb NJ, Zerga RJ, Rittenberry HB, Yasen A, Karim R, Michener LA, Karduna AR. Baseball Pitcher-specific Elbow Torque-velocity Relationship: Influence of Physical Factors. American Physical Therapy Association - Combined Sections Meeting, Virtual 2/20/2021.

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Protection: Biomechanical metrics to improve performance and reduce elbow injuries in baseball

Project Summary: A common problem among baseball players is an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) at the elbow. The UCL provides ~50% counter to elbow force (varus torque) during pitching, putting the UCL at risk for injury. Elbow varus torque increases as ball velocity increases, but not for all pitchers. Elbow varus torque may be mediated by player physical factors, such as muscle performance, joint motion, and stability. The knowledge gap is understanding the ball velocity - elbow varus torque relationship, and how physical factors can mediate the relationship to reduce elbow varus torque. This study will aim to characterize player risk of UCL injuries by developing player profiles that can be used to: 1) target the identified physical factors to reduce injuries and inform rehabilitation after injury, 2) specify return to sport criteria and 3) guide performance enhancement.

Presentations:

Garcia NS, Lobb NJ, Barrack AJ, Zerega RJ, Yasen A, Rittenberry HB, Karduna AR, Michener, LA. The Pitcher-Specific Relationship between Pitch Velocity and Elbow Valgus Torque. American Physical Therapy Association - Combined Sections Meeting, Virtual 2/20/2021.
Barrack AJ, Lobb NJ, Zerga RJ, Rittenberry HB, Yasen A, Karim R, Michener LA, Karduna AR. Baseball Pitcher-specific Elbow Torque-velocity Relationship: Influence of Physical Factors. American Physical Therapy Association - Combined Sections Meeting, Virtual 2/20/2021.

PI: Dr. Peter Fino and Dr. Lee Dibble

Co-PIs: Dr. Daniel Cushman, Dr. Nicholas Monson, Dr. Angela Presson

University of Utah

Title: Head Trauma: Reactive Postural Responses after Concussion: Objective Measurement of Balance Recovery and Prospective Injury Risk
Project Summary: Reactive postural responses are used to recover balance, but they have received relatively little attention after concussion despite being common in athletics and critical to athlete safety and performance. Prior research has shown previously concussed athletes experience a greater risk of musculoskeletal injuries, but the cause of this increased risk is not known. This study will focus on a critical barrier of current balance assessments for concussion by objectively quantifying reactive postural responses to determine the connection between post-concussion postural control and musculoskeletal injuries. This project seeks to have immediate impact on concussion management by establishing a protocol to assess postural responses that is tailored for concussions and clinical use and can be rapidly implemented through the Pac-12. Long-term, this study seeks to provide the framework for future studies to examine rehabilitative approaches that train balance recovery to accelerate the recovery and/or decrease the risk of musculoskeletal injury following concussions. Publications: Morris, A, Cassidy, B, Pelo, R, Fino, NF, Fino, PC. Reactive Postural Responses After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Association With Musculoskeletal Injury Risk in Collegiate Athletes: A Study Protocol. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. October 29,2020

Title: Head Trauma: Reactive Postural Responses after Concussion: Objective Measurement of Balance Recovery and Prospective Injury Risk

Project Summary: Reactive postural responses are used to recover balance, but they have received relatively little attention after concussion despite being common in athletics and critical to athlete safety and performance. Prior research has shown previously concussed athletes experience a greater risk of musculoskeletal injuries, but the cause of this increased risk is not known. This study will focus on a critical barrier of current balance assessments for concussion by objectively quantifying reactive postural responses to determine the connection between post-concussion postural control and musculoskeletal injuries. This project seeks to have immediate impact on concussion management by establishing a protocol to assess postural responses that is tailored for concussions and clinical use and can be rapidly implemented through the Pac-12. Long-term, this study seeks to provide the framework for future studies to examine rehabilitative approaches that train balance recovery to accelerate the recovery and/or decrease the risk of musculoskeletal injury following concussions.

Publications:

Morris, A, Cassidy, B, Pelo, R, Fino, NF, Fino, PC. Reactive Postural Responses After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Association With Musculoskeletal Injury Risk in Collegiate Athletes: A Study Protocol. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. October 29,2020

PIs: Dr. James Martin

University of Utah

Title: Injury Prevention: Improving Rehabilitation Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair with Real-Time Feedback during Low Intensity Cycling
Project Summary: With an astounding 25% of athletes with previous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery developing additional ACL injury following surgery, this study aims to reduce compensatory patterns during movement exercises while evaluating the relationship between cycling symmetry and return-to-play outcomes. Of concern, current data indicates that these patterns progress, rather than diminish, during the course of rehabilitation and can go undetected due to maximal tests typically taking place several months following surgery. Low-intensity cycling is commonly prescribed and known to be safe soon after surgery. This project seeks to improve symmetry by providing biomechanical feedback during low-intensity cycling. It also aims to determine if cycling symmetry leads to improved symmetry during weight bearing tasks and reduces subsequent injuries. If successful, we believe this technique may improve rehabilitation of a variety of other leg injuries as well.

Title: Injury Prevention: Improving Rehabilitation Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair with Real-Time Feedback during Low Intensity Cycling

Project Summary: With an astounding 25% of athletes with previous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery developing additional ACL injury following surgery, this study aims to reduce compensatory patterns during movement exercises while evaluating the relationship between cycling symmetry and return-to-play outcomes. Of concern, current data indicates that these patterns progress, rather than diminish, during the course of rehabilitation and can go undetected due to maximal tests typically taking place several months following surgery. Low-intensity cycling is commonly prescribed and known to be safe soon after surgery. This project seeks to improve symmetry by providing biomechanical feedback during low-intensity cycling. It also aims to determine if cycling symmetry leads to improved symmetry during weight bearing tasks and reduces subsequent injuries. If successful, we believe this technique may improve rehabilitation of a variety of other leg injuries as well.

PIs: Dr. Christopher Barry

Co-PIs: Dr. Kelli Moran-Miller (Stanford)

Washington State University collaborating with Arizona State University, University of California, Berkeley, Oregon State University, Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, University of Utah, University of Washington

Title: Student-Athlete Well-Being: Social Media Engagement and Mental Health in Pac-12 Student-Athletes
Project Summary: By investigating the relationship between social media activity, self-perception and mental health among Pac-12 student-athletes, this project seeks to gain a better understanding of both the detrimental and positive aspects of student-athletes’ social media use, as well as the potential benefits of protective behavioral strategies involving social media (e.g., turning off electronic devices at night or restricting social media access during study time). The findings will seek to provide improved abilities to educate student-athletes on adaptive uses of social media and bolster their academic, mental health, physical and personal well-being.

Title: Student-Athlete Well-Being: Social Media Engagement and Mental Health in Pac-12 Student-Athletes

Project Summary: By investigating the relationship between social media activity, self-perception and mental health among Pac-12 student-athletes, this project seeks to gain a better understanding of both the detrimental and positive aspects of student-athletes’ social media use, as well as the potential benefits of protective behavioral strategies involving social media (e.g., turning off electronic devices at night or restricting social media access during study time). The findings will seek to provide improved abilities to educate student-athletes on adaptive uses of social media and bolster their academic, mental health, physical and personal well-being.

PI: Dr. Kenneth Hunt

University of Colorado, Boulder

Title: The STEALTH Project Pilot Study: Student-Athlete Health Assessment Using PROMIS Tools
Project Summary: The study proposes the use of National Institute of Health’s Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys to assess the impact of participation and injuries in Pac-12 sports, inclusive of the physical, mental and social health of student-athletes before, during and after their competition seasons. The results of this pilot study will help identify student-athlete populations that may be at elevated risk, and allow for the identification of best practices that allow coaches, trainers, therapists and other healthcare providers to optimize student-athlete health and well-being as they participate over the course of a season.

Title: The STEALTH Project Pilot Study: Student-Athlete Health Assessment Using PROMIS Tools

Project Summary: The study proposes the use of National Institute of Health’s Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys to assess the impact of participation and injuries in Pac-12 sports, inclusive of the physical, mental and social health of student-athletes before, during and after their competition seasons. The results of this pilot study will help identify student-athlete populations that may be at elevated risk, and allow for the identification of best practices that allow coaches, trainers, therapists and other healthcare providers to optimize student-athlete health and well-being as they participate over the course of a season.

PI: Dr. David Camarillo

Co-PIs: Dr. Gerald Grant (Stanford), Dr. Michael Zeineh (Stanford), Dr. Charles Liu (USC)

Stanford University collaborating with University of Southern California

Title: Head Trauma and Mental Health: From Head Impacts to Brain Injury, Determining the Mechanism Underlying Concussions in Pac-12 Football
Project Summary: In an effort to determine the causes of concussive injury, this study plans to implement the use of the Stanford Instrumented Mouthguard 2.0 (MiG2) in combination with MR imaging with the football teams at two Pac-12 institutions to collect data on concussions. This will expand upon recent research and data collected with an instrumented mouthguard in combination with MRI with the Stanford football program. In that study, researchers discovered that concussions could be predicted by peak head angular acceleration, correlating with signal changes on MRI. At its completion, this will be the first study to identify mechanisms of concussion by tracing the head angular acceleration input, to brain tissue damage, to advanced imaging detection of injury. Publications: Liu, Y, Donnel, AG, Yousefsani, SA, Kondic, J, Grant G, Zeineh M, Camarillo, DB. Validation and Comparison of Instrumented Mouthguards for Measuring Head Kinematics and Assessing Brain Deformation in Football Impacts. Ann Biomed Eng. 2020 Nov;48(11):2580-2598. doi: 10.1007/s10439-020-02629-3. Epub 2020 Sep 28 Mills, BD, Goubran, M, Camarillo, D, Grant, G, Zeineh, M. Longitudinal alteration of cortical thickness and volume in high-impact sports. Neuroimage. 2020 Aug 15;217:116864. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116864. Epub 2020 Apr 29. Parivash, SN, Goubran M, Camarillo, D, Grant, G, Zeineh, M. Longitudinal Changes in Hippocampal Subfield Volume Associated with Collegiate Football. J Neurotrauma. 2019 Oct 1;36(19):2762-2773. doi: 10.1089/neu.2018.6357. Epub 2019 Jun 17. Hernandez, F, Giordano, C, Goubran, M, Parivesh, S, Grant, G, Zeineh, M, Camarillo, D. Lateral impacts correlate with falx cerebri displacement and corpus callosum trauma in sports-related concussions. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2019 Jun;18(3):631-649. doi: 10.1007/s10237-018-01106-0. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

Title: Head Trauma and Mental Health: From Head Impacts to Brain Injury, Determining the Mechanism Underlying Concussions in Pac-12 Football

Project Summary: In an effort to determine the causes of concussive injury, this study plans to implement the use of the Stanford Instrumented Mouthguard 2.0 (MiG2) in combination with MR imaging with the football teams at two Pac-12 institutions to collect data on concussions. This will expand upon recent research and data collected with an instrumented mouthguard in combination with MRI with the Stanford football program. In that study, researchers discovered that concussions could be predicted by peak head angular acceleration, correlating with signal changes on MRI. At its completion, this will be the first study to identify mechanisms of concussion by tracing the head angular acceleration input, to brain tissue damage, to advanced imaging detection of injury.

Publications:

Liu, Y, Donnel, AG, Yousefsani, SA, Kondic, J, Grant G, Zeineh M, Camarillo, DB. Validation and Comparison of Instrumented Mouthguards for Measuring Head Kinematics and Assessing Brain Deformation in Football Impacts. Ann Biomed Eng. 2020 Nov;48(11):2580-2598. doi: 10.1007/s10439-020-02629-3. Epub 2020 Sep 28
Mills, BD, Goubran, M, Camarillo, D, Grant, G, Zeineh, M. Longitudinal alteration of cortical thickness and volume in high-impact sports. Neuroimage. 2020 Aug 15;217:116864. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116864. Epub 2020 Apr 29.
Parivash, SN, Goubran M, Camarillo, D, Grant, G, Zeineh, M. Longitudinal Changes in Hippocampal Subfield Volume Associated with Collegiate Football. J Neurotrauma. 2019 Oct 1;36(19):2762-2773. doi: 10.1089/neu.2018.6357. Epub 2019 Jun 17.
Hernandez, F, Giordano, C, Goubran, M, Parivesh, S, Grant, G, Zeineh, M, Camarillo, D. Lateral impacts correlate with falx cerebri displacement and corpus callosum trauma in sports-related concussions. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2019 Jun;18(3):631-649. doi: 10.1007/s10237-018-01106-0. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

PIs: Dr. Kim Harmon, Dr. Emily Kroshus and Dr. Sara Chrisman

Co-PI: Dr. Ann Glang (UO)

University of Washington collaborating with Seattle Children's Research Institute, University of Oregon and University of Colorado, Boulder

Title: Head Trauma: Strengthening Concussion Education by Engaging Medical Staff: Continued Program Development and Evaluation
Project Summary: Expanding on a previous grant project that led to the development of a web-based concussion training platform (www.GoHuddle.net), this study aims to 1) evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the platform, and 2) enhance the impact of the platform through a preseason meeting between coaches and medical staff about concussion. This study will use a participant-engaged approach to develop materials to support such a meeting and will conduct an evaluation of the platform and the additive impact of the preseason meeting in all interested Pac-12 institutions.

Title: Head Trauma: Strengthening Concussion Education by Engaging Medical Staff: Continued Program Development and Evaluation

Project Summary: Expanding on a previous grant project that led to the development of a web-based concussion training platform (www.GoHuddle.net), this study aims to 1) evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the platform, and 2) enhance the impact of the platform through a preseason meeting between coaches and medical staff about concussion. This study will use a participant-engaged approach to develop materials to support such a meeting and will conduct an evaluation of the platform and the additive impact of the preseason meeting in all interested Pac-12 institutions.

PI: Dr. Marc Norcross

Co-PIs: Dr. Samuel Johnson (OSU) and Dr. Christopher Scaffidi (OSU)

Oregon State University collaborating with Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles and University of Washington

Title: Injury Surveillance: Scaling Up Student-Athlete Exposure Tracking Using PacTrac
Project Summary: After a prior grant project developed PacTrac, a web-based application system that allows athletic trainers (ATs) to capture detailed athletic exposures to evaluate injury rate data, it was determined that the level of detail in which exposure is reported can influence injury rate estimates, and that the feasibility of collecting the most detail exposure information varied across AT staffing, sport and schools. The objectives of the proposal are to scale PacTrac for use conference-wide, engage stakeholders to develop conference-wide minimum exposure reporting standards for each sport, and assess the implementation feasibility of those standards using PacTrac. Upon completion, the project will provide the Conference and its member schools with the flexible exposure reporting system needed to harness the full potential of the Pac-12’s Sports Injury Registry Management and Analytics Program (SIRMAP) to support local and conference-wide improvements in student-athlete health and wellness. Achievements: With support from the Pac-12 SAHWB Grant Program, researchers from Oregon State University developed an athletic exposure reporting program called PacTrac and evaluated the feasibility of capturing athletic exposures as part of the HAP. The SAHWB Board approved a proposal in June 2020 to integrate the PacTrac technology into the conference-wide injury reporting system hosted by Presagia Sports. Since then, representatives from Presagia Sports, the Pac-12 HAP, the OSU research team, SAHWB, and Athlete Considerations Committee have worked collaboratively to implement exposure reporting into Presgaia and to train Pac-12 athletic trainers to use the workflow. This new feature will not only enhance the value of the HAP for research purposes, but has also allowed the implementation team to develop new clinical reports that are intended to assist athletic trainers in their day-to-day practice.

Title: Injury Surveillance: Scaling Up Student-Athlete Exposure Tracking Using PacTrac

Project Summary: After a prior grant project developed PacTrac, a web-based application system that allows athletic trainers (ATs) to capture detailed athletic exposures to evaluate injury rate data, it was determined that the level of detail in which exposure is reported can influence injury rate estimates, and that the feasibility of collecting the most detail exposure information varied across AT staffing, sport and schools. The objectives of the proposal are to scale PacTrac for use conference-wide, engage stakeholders to develop conference-wide minimum exposure reporting standards for each sport, and assess the implementation feasibility of those standards using PacTrac. Upon completion, the project will provide the Conference and its member schools with the flexible exposure reporting system needed to harness the full potential of the Pac-12’s Sports Injury Registry Management and Analytics Program (SIRMAP) to support local and conference-wide improvements in student-athlete health and wellness.

Achievements:

With support from the Pac-12 SAHWB Grant Program, researchers from Oregon State University developed an athletic exposure reporting program called PacTrac and evaluated the feasibility of capturing athletic exposures as part of the HAP.
The SAHWB Board approved a proposal in June 2020 to integrate the PacTrac technology into the conference-wide injury reporting system hosted by Presagia Sports. Since then, representatives from Presagia Sports, the Pac-12 HAP, the OSU research team, SAHWB, and Athlete Considerations Committee have worked collaboratively to implement exposure reporting into Presgaia and to train Pac-12 athletic trainers to use the workflow.
This new feature will not only enhance the value of the HAP for research purposes, but has also allowed the implementation team to develop new clinical reports that are intended to assist athletic trainers in their day-to-day practice.

PI: Dr. Andrew Anderson

Co-PIs: Dr. Ken "Bo" Foreman, Dr. Stepehen Aoki and Dr. Travis Maak

University of Utah

Title: Injury and Prevention: Developing a Comprehensive, Quantitative Understanding of Hip Morphometrics and Biomechanics in Collegiate Athletes at Risk for Developing Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome
Project Summary: Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a common cause of hip pain and dysfunction among collegiate athletes, and a known precursor to hip osteoarthritis. Prevention is the key to reducing rates of FAIS, but research in this area is lacking. The research team believes effective prevention of FAIS starts with an in-depth understanding of how hip anatomy is altered in three-dimensions, and the extent to which abnormal hip anatomy disrupts hip biomechanics, prior to the onset of symptoms. In this study, researchers will compare 3D hip shape and biomechanics between collegiate athletes, control subjects that do not have a history of participation in the same sports, and FAIS patients who are seen in treated in the clinic. The future impact of this work is that it will support a prospective trial to determine if application of a modified training regimen reduces the prevalence of FAIS in athletes.

Title: Injury and Prevention: Developing a Comprehensive, Quantitative Understanding of Hip Morphometrics and Biomechanics in Collegiate Athletes at Risk for Developing Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome

Project Summary: Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a common cause of hip pain and dysfunction among collegiate athletes, and a known precursor to hip osteoarthritis. Prevention is the key to reducing rates of FAIS, but research in this area is lacking. The research team believes effective prevention of FAIS starts with an in-depth understanding of how hip anatomy is altered in three-dimensions, and the extent to which abnormal hip anatomy disrupts hip biomechanics, prior to the onset of symptoms. In this study, researchers will compare 3D hip shape and biomechanics between collegiate athletes, control subjects that do not have a history of participation in the same sports, and FAIS patients who are seen in treated in the clinic. The future impact of this work is that it will support a prospective trial to determine if application of a modified training regimen reduces the prevalence of FAIS in athletes.

PIs: Taylor Ricci and Nathan Braaten

Oregon State University

Title: Mental Health: #DamWorthIt Campaign
Project Summary: The #DamWorthIt Campaign, which was launched at Oregon State University in 2018, has a mission statement of utilizing the influential platform of sport to open the conversation around mental health in collegiate athletics, ending the stigma to make every team, every sport, and every student-athlete know that they are #DamWorthIt! The #DamWorthIt Campaign is designed to be a comprehensive program that will work to end the stigma around mental health through three pillars: education, resources and awareness/comfort. The #DamWorthIt Campaign aims to normalize, destigmatize and spread awareness about the epidemic of mental health in collegiate athletics through these three distinct pillars. The focus of this grant project is to expand the #DamWorthIt program throughout Pac-12 Conference Athletic Departments and Student-Athlete Advisory Committees. Achievements: Keep Oregon Well Mental Health Heroes Award, 2019 Nike Oregon Sports Awards- Play It Forward, 2017-2018 Institute for Sport Social Justice Giant Steps Civic Leaders Award, 2018

Title: Mental Health: #DamWorthIt Campaign

Project Summary: The #DamWorthIt Campaign, which was launched at Oregon State University in 2018, has a mission statement of utilizing the influential platform of sport to open the conversation around mental health in collegiate athletics, ending the stigma to make every team, every sport, and every student-athlete know that they are #DamWorthIt! The #DamWorthIt Campaign is designed to be a comprehensive program that will work to end the stigma around mental health through three pillars: education, resources and awareness/comfort. The #DamWorthIt Campaign aims to normalize, destigmatize and spread awareness about the epidemic of mental health in collegiate athletics through these three distinct pillars. The focus of this grant project is to expand the #DamWorthIt program throughout Pac-12 Conference Athletic Departments and Student-Athlete Advisory Committees.

Achievements:

Keep Oregon Well Mental Health Heroes Award, 2019
Nike Oregon Sports Awards- Play It Forward, 2017-2018
Institute for Sport Social Justice Giant Steps Civic Leaders Award, 2018

PI: Dr. George Brooks

Co-PI: Dr. Daniela Kaufer

University of California, Berkeley

Title: Head Trauma: Roles of Nutritive Support and Supplementation
Project Summary: Studies have shown that the brain uses lactate as a fuel source when available. Studies have also shown that patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often undernourished, meaning the brain has less fuel sources to use for healing. The goal of this project is to determine whether or not supplementation with lactate on the background of adequate nutrition will improve TBI recovery by giving the brain an extra fuel source. This will be accomplished through a series of studies on laboratory rats, where rats with mild TBIs that mimic concussions will be given standard of care (inadequate) nutrition, adequate nutrition, and adequate nutrition plus extra lactate. Brain healing will be assessed to see if appropriate nutrition with and without lactate supplementation improves recovery time and outcomes. Publications: Brooks, GA. The Science and Translation of Lactate Shuttle Theory, April 2018, Cell Metabolism.

Title: Head Trauma: Roles of Nutritive Support and Supplementation

Project Summary: Studies have shown that the brain uses lactate as a fuel source when available. Studies have also shown that patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often undernourished, meaning the brain has less fuel sources to use for healing. The goal of this project is to determine whether or not supplementation with lactate on the background of adequate nutrition will improve TBI recovery by giving the brain an extra fuel source. This will be accomplished through a series of studies on laboratory rats, where rats with mild TBIs that mimic concussions will be given standard of care (inadequate) nutrition, adequate nutrition, and adequate nutrition plus extra lactate. Brain healing will be assessed to see if appropriate nutrition with and without lactate supplementation improves recovery time and outcomes.

Publications:

Brooks, GA. The Science and Translation of Lactate Shuttle Theory, April 2018, Cell Metabolism.

PI: Dr. Michael Hahn

Co-PIs: Dr. Scott Delp (Stanford), Dr. Rodger Kram (CU), Dr. Alena Grabowski (CU), Dr. Jill McNitt-Gray (USC), Dr. Lorraine Turcotte (USC), Dr. Brent Liu (USC), Dr. Kormelia Kulig (USC)

University of Oregon collaborating with University of Colorado, University of Southern California & Stanford University

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Prevention: Integration of Biomechanics-based Informatics for Prevention of Stress Fractures
Project Summary: Stress fractures are a very common form of injury in athletes, especially long distance runners. This project’s goal is to analyze a group of runners’ biomechanical information such as foot motion patterns, foot-to-ground contact patterns, and accelerations and then track stress fracture development in these runners over a three year period to see which biomechanical patterns are associated with the development of stress fractures. This new biomechanics-based information can then be integrated with already known risk factors such as nutrition status and training volume/intensity to predict runners who are at a higher risk of stress fracture. Abstract Presentations: Day ER, McGeehan MA., Hahn ME. A method to estimate gait cycle duration using resultant lower limb accelerations. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement. Salford, UK, 2018. McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Time and frequency correlates between resultant lower limb acceleration and resultant ground reaction force during running. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement. Salford, UK, 2018. McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Resultant lower limb acceleration and ground reaction forces are correlated in the time and frequency domains. 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics. Rochester, MN, 2018. Alcantara RS, Day EM, Hahn ME, Grabowski AM. Sacral accelerations predict whole body kinetics and stride kinematics during running. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA. Farina KA, Donahue S, Day EM, McGeehan MA, Hahn ME. Peak lower-limb acceleration in collegiate distance runners over varying surfaces. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA. McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Resultant lower limb acceleration and ground reaction forces are correlated in the time and frequency domains. American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, 2018, Rochester, MN, USA. McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Time and frequency correlates between resultant lower limb acceleration and resultant ground reaction force during running. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement, July 2018, Salford, UK. Papp MJ, Wilcox R, McNitt-Gray J. Association of swing and stance leg accelerations with reaction forced during the initial contact phase of running. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA. Presentations: Farina KA, Donahue SR. Kinematic and kinetic differences pre- and post-femoral stress reaction injury: A case study. 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Atlanta, GA. 8/5/2020.

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Prevention: Integration of Biomechanics-based Informatics for Prevention of Stress Fractures

Project Summary: Stress fractures are a very common form of injury in athletes, especially long distance runners. This project’s goal is to analyze a group of runners’ biomechanical information such as foot motion patterns, foot-to-ground contact patterns, and accelerations and then track stress fracture development in these runners over a three year period to see which biomechanical patterns are associated with the development of stress fractures. This new biomechanics-based information can then be integrated with already known risk factors such as nutrition status and training volume/intensity to predict runners who are at a higher risk of stress fracture.

Abstract Presentations:

Day ER, McGeehan MA., Hahn ME. A method to estimate gait cycle duration using resultant lower limb accelerations. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement. Salford, UK, 2018.
McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Time and frequency correlates between resultant lower limb acceleration and resultant ground reaction force during running. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement. Salford, UK, 2018.
McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Resultant lower limb acceleration and ground reaction forces are correlated in the time and frequency domains. 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics. Rochester, MN, 2018.
Alcantara RS, Day EM, Hahn ME, Grabowski AM. Sacral accelerations predict whole body kinetics and stride kinematics during running. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA.
Farina KA, Donahue S, Day EM, McGeehan MA, Hahn ME. Peak lower-limb acceleration in collegiate distance runners over varying surfaces. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA.
McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Resultant lower limb acceleration and ground reaction forces are correlated in the time and frequency domains. American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, 2018, Rochester, MN, USA.
McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Time and frequency correlates between resultant lower limb acceleration and resultant ground reaction force during running. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement, July 2018, Salford, UK.
Papp MJ, Wilcox R, McNitt-Gray J. Association of swing and stance leg accelerations with reaction forced during the initial contact phase of running. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA.

Presentations:

Farina KA, Donahue SR. Kinematic and kinetic differences pre- and post-femoral stress reaction injury: A case study. 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Atlanta, GA. 8/5/2020.

PI: Dr. Christopher Kweon

Co-PIs: Dr. Albert Gee & Dr. Scott Telfer

University of Washington

Title: Injury Prevention: Simple motion capture technology for readiness of return to sport assessment and injury risk prediction
Project Summary: There are few objective and widely accepted methods to determine when student-athletes are ready to return to their sport after injury or surgery, and even fewer methods available to measure abnormal joint movements. The goal of this study is to compare a low cost simple motion capture technology (Microsoft Kinect™) to the gold standard (but more expensive and complicated) standard motion capture system (Vicon™). Functional movement data will be evaluated in healthy volunteers using both systems and results will be compared to help determine if Microsoft Kinect is a viable option to measure abnormal joint movements and help facilitate safe return to sports after injury at a lower cost than standard systems. Publications: Tipto CC, Telfer S, Cherones A, Gee AO, Kweon CY. The use of Microsoft Kinect ™ for assessing readiness of return to sport and injury risk exercises: a validation study. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019 Sep; 14(5): 724–730.

Title: Injury Prevention: Simple motion capture technology for readiness of return to sport assessment and injury risk prediction

Project Summary: There are few objective and widely accepted methods to determine when student-athletes are ready to return to their sport after injury or surgery, and even fewer methods available to measure abnormal joint movements. The goal of this study is to compare a low cost simple motion capture technology (Microsoft Kinect™) to the gold standard (but more expensive and complicated) standard motion capture system (Vicon™). Functional movement data will be evaluated in healthy volunteers using both systems and results will be compared to help determine if Microsoft Kinect is a viable option to measure abnormal joint movements and help facilitate safe return to sports after injury at a lower cost than standard systems.

Publications:

Tipto CC, Telfer S, Cherones A, Gee AO, Kweon CY. The use of Microsoft Kinect ™ for assessing readiness of return to sport and injury risk exercises: a validation study. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019 Sep; 14(5): 724–730.

PI: Dr. Doug Aukerman and the Pac-12 Brain Trauma Task Force

The Pac-12 Concussion Coordinating Unit - Project Director: Dr. Matthew McQueen, Project Team: Dr. Theresa Hernandez & Dr. Adam Bohr

University of Colorado

Title: Pac-12 and NCAA Collaboration - Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium Data Collection: Establishing a Research Infrastructure and Framework
Project Summary: This project, co-funded by the NCAA, will create the first full-conference regional research hub of the landmark CARE Consortium. The Consortium is funded by a partnership of the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System and the NCAA, and is a multi-site, longitudinal investigation of concussion and repetitive head impacts in NCAA athletes and military service academy cadets that addresses major gaps in the understanding of concussion. Through this project, each Pac-12 institution will be able to collect neurocognitive and neurobehavioral data on athletes at baseline, at the time a concussion occurs, and then at multiple time-points over the course of the year following an injury. Pac-12 Concussion Coordinating Unit Website: Click here.

Title: Pac-12 and NCAA Collaboration - Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium Data Collection: Establishing a Research Infrastructure and Framework

Project Summary: This project, co-funded by the NCAA, will create the first full-conference regional research hub of the landmark CARE Consortium. The Consortium is funded by a partnership of the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System and the NCAA, and is a multi-site, longitudinal investigation of concussion and repetitive head impacts in NCAA athletes and military service academy cadets that addresses major gaps in the understanding of concussion. Through this project, each Pac-12 institution will be able to collect neurocognitive and neurobehavioral data on athletes at baseline, at the time a concussion occurs, and then at multiple time-points over the course of the year following an injury.

Pac-12 Concussion Coordinating Unit Website: Click here.

PI: Dr. William Byrnes

Co-PIs: Dr. Theresa Hernandez & Dr. Ken Wright

University of Colorado

Title: Health and Wellness: Assessing Student-Athlete Health and Performance
Project Summary: This project proposes a comprehensive approach to optimize the academic, athletic, health, and wellness experience of student-athletes. Specifically, the project seeks to assess important indicators of student-athlete health and wellness, integrate key information within the Pac-12 Sports Injury Registry Management and Analytics Program, and implement and disseminate important best practices for sustainable student-athlete training and performance throughout the Pac-12. Publications & Presentations: Goodrich J, Frisco D, Rueda M, Poddar S, Brynes W. The importance of lean mass and iron deficiency when comparing hemoglobin mass in male and female athletic groups, October 6, 2020, Journal of Applied Physiology. Click here to read. Morris KL, Goodrich JA, Poddar S, Widstrom L, Rueda M, Byrnes W. Hematological changes in elite collegiate cross-country runners residing at moderate altitude: a retrospective analysis. Presented at the 2017 American College of Sports Medicine Convention. Villegas E, McCartney D, Holliday M, Bohr A, McQueen M, Hernández TD. Travel in collegiate varsity student-athletes: relationship to mood across seasons and the factors that influence this relationship. Presented at 2018 Society for Neuroscience National Conference, Toronto. Moreng JM, Goodrich JA, Higdon JC, Holliday M, Rueda MA, Poddar S, Hernandez TD, McQueen MB, Wright KP, Byrnes WC. Reproducibility of free-living physical activity/sedentary behaviors in college undergraduates. Presented at the 2018 American College of Sports Medicine Convention. Frisco D, Goodrich J, Higdon J, Wright K, Byrnes WA comparison of physical activity behaviors and sleep in female NCAA Division-I athletes versus controls. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention. Sewan K, Goodrich JA, Byrnes WC. Comparing total hemoglobin mass between selected NCAA Division I athletes and recreationally active students. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention. Goodrich JA, Kim S, Frisco DJ, Detwiler K, Rueda M, Poddar S, Byrnes WC. Relationship between Hepcidin, Interluken-6, and Ferritin in Division-I Cross-Country runners over a competitive season. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention. Morris K, Widstrom L, Goodrich J, Poddar S, Rueda M, Holliday M, San Millian I, Byrnes WC (2017). A retrospective analysis of collegiate athlete blood biomarkers at moderate altitude. Submitted for publication in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Modifications requested by reviewers are currently being addressed and a revised manuscript will be submitted by April 2019. Villegas E, McCartney D, Holliday M, Bohr A, McQueen MB, Hernández TD (2018). Travel in collegiate varsity student-athletes: relationship to mood across seasons. Manuscript submitted for publication in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise.

Title: Health and Wellness: Assessing Student-Athlete Health and Performance

Project Summary: This project proposes a comprehensive approach to optimize the academic, athletic, health, and wellness experience of student-athletes. Specifically, the project seeks to assess important indicators of student-athlete health and wellness, integrate key information within the Pac-12 Sports Injury Registry Management and Analytics Program, and implement and disseminate important best practices for sustainable student-athlete training and performance throughout the Pac-12.

Publications & Presentations:

Goodrich J, Frisco D, Rueda M, Poddar S, Brynes W. The importance of lean mass and iron deficiency when comparing hemoglobin mass in male and female athletic groups, October 6, 2020, Journal of Applied Physiology. Click here to read.
Morris KL, Goodrich JA, Poddar S, Widstrom L, Rueda M, Byrnes W. Hematological changes in elite collegiate cross-country runners residing at moderate altitude: a retrospective analysis. Presented at the 2017 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Villegas E, McCartney D, Holliday M, Bohr A, McQueen M, Hernández TD. Travel in collegiate varsity student-athletes: relationship to mood across seasons and the factors that influence this relationship. Presented at 2018 Society for Neuroscience National Conference, Toronto.
Moreng JM, Goodrich JA, Higdon JC, Holliday M, Rueda MA, Poddar S, Hernandez TD, McQueen MB, Wright KP, Byrnes WC. Reproducibility of free-living physical activity/sedentary behaviors in college undergraduates. Presented at the 2018 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Frisco D, Goodrich J, Higdon J, Wright K, Byrnes WA comparison of physical activity behaviors and sleep in female NCAA Division-I athletes versus controls. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Sewan K, Goodrich JA, Byrnes WC. Comparing total hemoglobin mass between selected NCAA Division I athletes and recreationally active students. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Goodrich JA, Kim S, Frisco DJ, Detwiler K, Rueda M, Poddar S, Byrnes WC. Relationship between Hepcidin, Interluken-6, and Ferritin in Division-I Cross-Country runners over a competitive season. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Morris K, Widstrom L, Goodrich J, Poddar S, Rueda M, Holliday M, San Millian I, Byrnes WC (2017). A retrospective analysis of collegiate athlete blood biomarkers at moderate altitude. Submitted for publication in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Modifications requested by reviewers are currently being addressed and a revised manuscript will be submitted by April 2019.
Villegas E, McCartney D, Holliday M, Bohr A, McQueen MB, Hernández TD (2018). Travel in collegiate varsity student-athletes: relationship to mood across seasons. Manuscript submitted for publication in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise.

PIs: Dr. Kim Harmon & Dr. Emily Kroshus

Co-PIs: Dr. Sara Chrisman (UW) & Dr. Ann Glang (UO)

University of Washington collaborating with University of Oregon

Title: Pac-12 Student-Athlete Project on Developing Coach Education
Project Summary: This project aims to develop evidence-based, easily scalable educational programs for college coaches about topics related to student-athlete health and safety, beginning with concussions. Explore GoHuddle.net: How common is concussion? (By sport) Coming back after concussion What can you do?

Title: Pac-12 Student-Athlete Project on Developing Coach Education

Project Summary: This project aims to develop evidence-based, easily scalable educational programs for college coaches about topics related to student-athlete health and safety, beginning with concussions.

Explore GoHuddle.net:

PI: Dr. Michael Fredericson

Co-PI: Dr. Aurelia Nattiv (UCLA)

Stanford University collaborating with University of California, Los Angeles

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Prevention: A Prospective Study to Improve Bone Health and Reduce Incidence of Bone Stress Injuries in Pac-12 Female Distance Runners
Project Summary: The primary objective of this project is to improve the health of female collegiate distance runners, reduce the incidence and severity of bone stress injuries, and shorten recovery time. This will be accomplished with an active nutrition education program emphasizing the achievement of positive energy balance measured by increasing energy intake and/or reducing exercise energy expenditure. Presentations: Kussman A, Fredericson M, Krauss E, Singh S, Deakins-Roche, Miller E, Kim B, Tenforde A, Barrack MT, Sainani K, Nattiv A. The Female Athlete Triad Cumulative Risk Assessment score implemented at the pre-participation physical exam correlates with risk of bone stress injury in collegiate distance runners: a four-year prospective study. AMSSM Abstract (podium presentation - Young Investigator Award to Dr. Kussman), CJSM Vol 28(3), May 2018. Abstracts: Miller E, Fredericson M, Kussman A, Krauss E, Singh S, Deakins-Roche M, Kim B, Tenforde A, Sainani K, Nattiv A. Youth multi-sport participation is associated with higher bone mineral density in female collegiate distance runners. ACSM Abstract, MSSE, May 2018. Barrack MT, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Miller B, Nattiv A. Utilization and efficacy of the "Run-Fueled" smart phone application among collegiate endurance runners. ACSM Abstract, MSSE, May 2018. Kraus E, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Roche M, Tenforde A, Barrack M, Fredericson M. SerumN-telopeptide is associated with low bone mineral density in a cohort of NCAA Division I distance Runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX. Singh S, Kraus E, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Roche M, Tenforde A, Barrack M, Fredericson M. Sleep correlates with faster mile time and increased triad risk factors in female runners, a five-year exploratory analysis of prospectively collected data. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX. Barrack M, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Miller E, Nattiv A. Utilization and efficacy of the "run fueled" smart-phone application among collegiate endurance runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX. Miller E, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Barrack M, Nattiv A. Youth multi-sport participation is associated with higher bone mineral density in female collegiate distance runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX. Publications: Kraus E, Tenforde A, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Deakins-Roche M, Singh S, Kim B, Barrack M, Fredericson M. Bone stress injuries in male distance runners: Higher modified female athlete triad cumulative risk assessment score predict increased rates of injury. British Journal of Sports M Medicine 2019 Feb; 53 (4): 237-242.

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Prevention: A Prospective Study to Improve Bone Health and Reduce Incidence of Bone Stress Injuries in Pac-12 Female Distance Runners

Project Summary: The primary objective of this project is to improve the health of female collegiate distance runners, reduce the incidence and severity of bone stress injuries, and shorten recovery time. This will be accomplished with an active nutrition education program emphasizing the achievement of positive energy balance measured by increasing energy intake and/or reducing exercise energy expenditure.

Presentations:

Kussman A, Fredericson M, Krauss E, Singh S, Deakins-Roche, Miller E, Kim B, Tenforde A, Barrack MT, Sainani K, Nattiv A. The Female Athlete Triad Cumulative Risk Assessment score implemented at the pre-participation physical exam correlates with risk of bone stress injury in collegiate distance runners: a four-year prospective study. AMSSM Abstract (podium presentation - Young Investigator Award to Dr. Kussman), CJSM Vol 28(3), May 2018.

Abstracts:

Miller E, Fredericson M, Kussman A, Krauss E, Singh S, Deakins-Roche M, Kim B, Tenforde A, Sainani K, Nattiv A. Youth multi-sport participation is associated with higher bone mineral density in female collegiate distance runners. ACSM Abstract, MSSE, May 2018.
Barrack MT, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Miller B, Nattiv A. Utilization and efficacy of the "Run-Fueled" smart phone application among collegiate endurance runners. ACSM Abstract, MSSE, May 2018.
Kraus E, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Roche M, Tenforde A, Barrack M, Fredericson M. SerumN-telopeptide is associated with low bone mineral density in a cohort of NCAA Division I distance Runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX.
Singh S, Kraus E, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Roche M, Tenforde A, Barrack M, Fredericson M. Sleep correlates with faster mile time and increased triad risk factors in female runners, a five-year exploratory analysis of prospectively collected data. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX.
Barrack M, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Miller E, Nattiv A. Utilization and efficacy of the "run fueled" smart-phone application among collegiate endurance runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX.
Miller E, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Barrack M, Nattiv A. Youth multi-sport participation is associated with higher bone mineral density in female collegiate distance runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX.

Publications:

Kraus E, Tenforde A, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Deakins-Roche M, Singh S, Kim B, Barrack M, Fredericson M. Bone stress injuries in male distance runners: Higher modified female athlete triad cumulative risk assessment score predict increased rates of injury. British Journal of Sports M Medicine 2019 Feb; 53 (4): 237-242.

PI: Dr. Kim Harmon

Co-PIs: Dr. Jonathan Drezner, Dr. David Owens & Dr. Jordan Prutkin

University of Washington collaborating with all Pac-12 schools

Title: Cardiovascular Screening in the Pac-12 Conference: Establishing Best Practices
Project Summary: Sudden cardiac death is the leading medical cause of death in college athletes and has been designated as a high priority area for research by the Pac-12. This study is designed to answer critical questions regarding screening for cardiovascular conditions that predispose athletes to sudden death by comparing the schools that screen with history and a physical to those that add an electrocardiogram. The study will compare conditions identified, total costs, costs per diagnosis, time lost from competition, and any adverse outcomes related to screening with each strategy. Presentations: Harmon KG, Suchsland Z, Prutkin JM, Owens DS, Aukerman DF, Hwang CE, Lancaster SC, Petron DJ, Poddar SK, Porter DE, Petek BJ, Malik A, Drezner JA. Comparison of Cardiovascular Screening in College Athletes by History and Physical Examination with and without an Electrocardiogram: Efficacy and Cost. Heart Rhythm. (Internet publication ahead of print. May 4, 2020). Petek BJ, Drezner JA, Harmon KG. Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hypertension in College Athletes. (Accepted by Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine 2020) Petek BJ, Drezner JA, Prutkin JM, Owens DS, Tran T, Harmon KG. Electrocardiogram Interpretation in College Athletes: Local Institution versus Sports Cardiology Center Interpretation. J Electrocardiol. 2020:7(62);49-56. Harmon KG, Zigman ML, Prutkin J, Owens D, Drezner J. Preparticipation cardiovascular screening in the Pac-12: a comparison of history and physical with or without ECG; Journal of the American College of Cardiology Volume 73, Issue 9 Supplement 1, March 2019DOI: 10.1016/S0735-1097(19)30901-5. Harmon KG, Cardiovascular Screening in the Pac-12: Comparing History and Physical with and without ECG – American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, April 15, 2019; NCAA Best Research Award.

Title: Cardiovascular Screening in the Pac-12 Conference: Establishing Best Practices

Project Summary: Sudden cardiac death is the leading medical cause of death in college athletes and has been designated as a high priority area for research by the Pac-12. This study is designed to answer critical questions regarding screening for cardiovascular conditions that predispose athletes to sudden death by comparing the schools that screen with history and a physical to those that add an electrocardiogram. The study will compare conditions identified, total costs, costs per diagnosis, time lost from competition, and any adverse outcomes related to screening with each strategy.

Presentations:

Harmon KG, Suchsland Z, Prutkin JM, Owens DS, Aukerman DF, Hwang CE, Lancaster SC, Petron DJ, Poddar SK, Porter DE, Petek BJ, Malik A, Drezner JA. Comparison of Cardiovascular Screening in College Athletes by History and Physical Examination with and without an Electrocardiogram: Efficacy and Cost. Heart Rhythm. (Internet publication ahead of print. May 4, 2020).
Petek BJ, Drezner JA, Harmon KG. Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hypertension in College Athletes. (Accepted by Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine 2020)
Petek BJ, Drezner JA, Prutkin JM, Owens DS, Tran T, Harmon KG. Electrocardiogram Interpretation in College Athletes: Local Institution versus Sports Cardiology Center Interpretation. J Electrocardiol. 2020:7(62);49-56.
Harmon KG, Zigman ML, Prutkin J, Owens D, Drezner J. Preparticipation cardiovascular screening in the Pac-12: a comparison of history and physical with or without ECG; Journal of the American College of Cardiology Volume 73, Issue 9 Supplement 1, March 2019DOI: 10.1016/S0735-1097(19)30901-5.
Harmon KG, Cardiovascular Screening in the Pac-12: Comparing History and Physical with and without ECG – American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, April 15, 2019; NCAA Best Research Award.

PI: Dr. Craig Heller

Co-PI: Dr. Dennis Grahn

Stanford University

Title: Thermal Management for Athletes: Problems and Opportunities
Project Summary: The Heller laboratory at Stanford has developed a unique technology that rapidly extracts heat from the core of the body. It has been used in a number of cases where athletes were showing signs of heat illness, and recovery was rapid. This project will include a telemetric study of changes in body temperature of athletes during practice and competition as a function of environmental conditions, as well as comparative studies of methods to achieve rapid recovery from hyperthermia and studies of the benefits of heat extraction in physical conditioning of female athletes. Background Publications: Title: Enhancing thermal exchange in humans and practical applications. Background to funding project. Published 2012: Disruptive Science and Technology. Title: Work volume and strength training responses to resistive exercise improve with periodic heat extraction from the palm. Background to funding project. Published 2012: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Title: Novel application of chemical cold packs for treatment of exercise-induced hyperthermia: a randomized controlled trial. Background to funding project. Published 2015 Wilderness and Environmental Medicine. Publications: Dennis G, Makam M, Craig Heller H (2018) A method to reduce heat strain while clad in encapsulating outerwear, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 15:8, 573-579, DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2018.1470635. Achievements: Dr. Heller has started a new company to provide this thermal management technology to potential users in 2021.

Title: Thermal Management for Athletes: Problems and Opportunities

Project Summary: The Heller laboratory at Stanford has developed a unique technology that rapidly extracts heat from the core of the body. It has been used in a number of cases where athletes were showing signs of heat illness, and recovery was rapid. This project will include a telemetric study of changes in body temperature of athletes during practice and competition as a function of environmental conditions, as well as comparative studies of methods to achieve rapid recovery from hyperthermia and studies of the benefits of heat extraction in physical conditioning of female athletes.

Background Publications:

Title: Enhancing thermal exchange in humans and practical applications. Background to funding project. Published 2012: Disruptive Science and Technology.
Title: Work volume and strength training responses to resistive exercise improve with periodic heat extraction from the palm. Background to funding project. Published 2012: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Title: Novel application of chemical cold packs for treatment of exercise-induced hyperthermia: a randomized controlled trial. Background to funding project. Published 2015 Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.

Publications:

Dennis G, Makam M, Craig Heller H (2018) A method to reduce heat strain while clad in encapsulating outerwear, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 15:8, 573-579, DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2018.1470635.

Achievements:

Dr. Heller has started a new company to provide this thermal management technology to potential users in 2021.

PI: Dr. Deborah Yurgelun-Tood

Co-PIs: Dr. Charlie Hicks-Little, Dr. Perry Renshaw, Dr. Erin McGlade & Dr. Andrew Prescot

University of Utah

Title: Mental Health and Head Trauma: Brain Health in Male and Female Basketball Student-Athletes at the University of Utah
Project Summary: There is a need to better define the neurobiological, cognitive, and behavior changes in competitive athletes prone to head injury both pre- and post-injury. The aim of this study is to assess the association between concussive symptoms, mood states, cognitive performance, and brain changes in female and male basketball student-athletes and football student-athletes. Manuscripts: Cho HB, Bueler CE, DiMuzio J, Hicks-Little C, McGlade EC, Lyoo IK, Yurgelun-Todd D (2018). Negative mood states correlate with laterobasal amygdala in collegiate football players. Biomed Res Int. Anstracts: Bueler CE, Epstein DJ, Hicks-Little CA, Fuller AA, McGlade EC, DiMuzio JM, et al. (2016). Aggression and quality of life in collegiate football players at pre-season and one-year follow up. Paper presented at the American College of Sports Medicine, Boston, MA. DiMuzio JM, Bueler CE, Hicks-Little CA, Fuller AA, McGlade EC, Yurgelun-Todd DA Orbitofrontal connectivity and impulsivity characteristics in collegiate football players. Accepted the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, 2016. Cho HB, Bueler CE, DiMuzio JM, McGlade EC, Yurgelun-Todd DA. Negative mood state correlated with laterobasal amygdala in collegiate football players. Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual meeting, 2016. Fisher N, DiMuzio J, Bueler E, Yurgelun-Todd D, McGlade E. Distress tolerance in athletes as it relates to mood, anger, and aggression. Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Annual meeting, 2017. Cho HB, Bueler E, DiMuzio J, McGlade E, Yurgelun-Todd D. Longitudinal changes and recovery in cortical thickness of collegiate football players. May 2017. Biological Psychiatry 81(10):S110. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.282. Rogowska J, McGlade E, Legaretta M, Yurgelun-Todd D, Sex differences in default mode connectivity in basketball players. 2018 Organization of Human Brain Mapping. Shi, XF, Bueler C, McGlade E, Renshaw P, Yurgelun-Todd D. A history of concussion predicts brain chemistry changes in NCAA Division I college athletes. May 2018. Biological Psychiatry 83(9):S311. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.799.

Title: Mental Health and Head Trauma: Brain Health in Male and Female Basketball Student-Athletes at the University of Utah

Project Summary: There is a need to better define the neurobiological, cognitive, and behavior changes in competitive athletes prone to head injury both pre- and post-injury. The aim of this study is to assess the association between concussive symptoms, mood states, cognitive performance, and brain changes in female and male basketball student-athletes and football student-athletes.

Manuscripts:

Cho HB, Bueler CE, DiMuzio J, Hicks-Little C, McGlade EC, Lyoo IK, Yurgelun-Todd D (2018). Negative mood states correlate with laterobasal amygdala in collegiate football players. Biomed Res Int.

Anstracts:

Bueler CE, Epstein DJ, Hicks-Little CA, Fuller AA, McGlade EC, DiMuzio JM, et al. (2016). Aggression and quality of life in collegiate football players at pre-season and one-year follow up. Paper presented at the American College of Sports Medicine, Boston, MA.
DiMuzio JM, Bueler CE, Hicks-Little CA, Fuller AA, McGlade EC, Yurgelun-Todd DA Orbitofrontal connectivity and impulsivity characteristics in collegiate football players. Accepted the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, 2016.
Cho HB, Bueler CE, DiMuzio JM, McGlade EC, Yurgelun-Todd DA. Negative mood state correlated with laterobasal amygdala in collegiate football players. Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual meeting, 2016.
Fisher N, DiMuzio J, Bueler E, Yurgelun-Todd D, McGlade E. Distress tolerance in athletes as it relates to mood, anger, and aggression. Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Annual meeting, 2017.
Cho HB, Bueler E, DiMuzio J, McGlade E, Yurgelun-Todd D. Longitudinal changes and recovery in cortical thickness of collegiate football players. May 2017. Biological Psychiatry 81(10):S110. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.282.
Rogowska J, McGlade E, Legaretta M, Yurgelun-Todd D, Sex differences in default mode connectivity in basketball players. 2018 Organization of Human Brain Mapping.
Shi, XF, Bueler C, McGlade E, Renshaw P, Yurgelun-Todd D. A history of concussion predicts brain chemistry changes in NCAA Division I college athletes. May 2018. Biological Psychiatry 83(9):S311. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.799.

PI: Dr. Marc Norcross

Co-PIs: Dr. Samuel Johnson & Dr. Viktor Bovbjerg

Oregon State University

Title: Injury Surveillance: How much is enough? Enhancing the precision of team injury estimates using detailed athlete exposure information
Project Summary: In the first funding cycle of the Grant Program, the Pac-12 funded the creation of a conference-wide sports injury database with the help of Presagia Sports, an Athlete Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform. The database enables Conference doctors and athletic trainers to analyze the prevalence of sports injuries and conduct investigations on aspects of injury management such as prevention, treatment, and concussion assessment. In conjunction with the advent of the conference-wide database, the results of the OSU project will provide essential evidence that the Pac-12 can immediately use as a basis for deciding what level of athletic exposure data should be captured in order to harness the full potential of the new database. Published Abstracts & Presentations: Norcross MF, Johnson ST. How much is enough? Enhancing the precision of team injury estimates using detailed athlete exposure information. (Final Report). Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health Conference, Las Vegas, NV. May 5, 2017. Norcross MF, Johnson ST, Bovbjerg VE. Athletic exposure methodology influence injury risk estimates in collegiate sports. 2018 National Athletic Trainers’ Association Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, New Orleans, LA. Citations: Norcross MF, Johnson ST, Bovbjerg VE. Athletic exposure methodology influences injury risk estimates in collegiate sports. J Athl Train. 2018;53(6):S58.

Title: Injury Surveillance: How much is enough? Enhancing the precision of team injury estimates using detailed athlete exposure information

Project Summary: In the first funding cycle of the Grant Program, the Pac-12 funded the creation of a conference-wide sports injury database with the help of Presagia Sports, an Athlete Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform. The database enables Conference doctors and athletic trainers to analyze the prevalence of sports injuries and conduct investigations on aspects of injury management such as prevention, treatment, and concussion assessment. In conjunction with the advent of the conference-wide database, the results of the OSU project will provide essential evidence that the Pac-12 can immediately use as a basis for deciding what level of athletic exposure data should be captured in order to harness the full potential of the new database.

Published Abstracts & Presentations:

Norcross MF, Johnson ST. How much is enough? Enhancing the precision of team injury estimates using detailed athlete exposure information. (Final Report). Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health Conference, Las Vegas, NV. May 5, 2017.
Norcross MF, Johnson ST, Bovbjerg VE. Athletic exposure methodology influence injury risk estimates in collegiate sports. 2018 National Athletic Trainers’ Association Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, New Orleans, LA.

Citations:

Norcross MF, Johnson ST, Bovbjerg VE. Athletic exposure methodology influences injury risk estimates in collegiate sports. J Athl Train. 2018;53(6):S58.

Prior Grant Awardees by Topic

PI: Dr. Andrew Lovering – University of Oregon

Co-PI: Dr. Hans Haverkamp – Washington State University

University of Oregon

Title: Impact of COVID-19 on student athlete lung function and diffusing capacity
Project Summary: The healthy lung can limit exercise performance in the well-trained athletic population so lung health is critical for optimal well-being and athletic performance. This study aims to measure lung function and diffusing capacity in a large cohort of young health Pac-12 athletes pre-COVID19 infections and then will repeat these measures in the same cohort near the end of the grant period. These non-invasive, objective lung tests have very clear performance criteria, are standard clinical measures that are internationally validated and are considered gold standards for measuring lung health and function. They will determine the association of disease severity with the measures of lung function.

Title: Impact of COVID-19 on student athlete lung function and diffusing capacity

Project Summary: The healthy lung can limit exercise performance in the well-trained athletic population so lung health is critical for optimal well-being and athletic performance.

This study aims to measure lung function and diffusing capacity in a large cohort of young health Pac-12 athletes pre-COVID19 infections and then will repeat these measures in the same cohort near the end of the grant period.
These non-invasive, objective lung tests have very clear performance criteria, are standard clinical measures that are internationally validated and are considered gold standards for measuring lung health and function.
They will determine the association of disease severity with the measures of lung function.

PI: Dr. Marc Norcross – Oregon State University

Oregon State University

Title:Determining Musculoskeletal Injury Risk and Risk Patterns following Concussion and SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Project Summary: This project aims to: determine if student-athletes are at increased risk for muscular or bone-related injury following a concussion or coronavirus infection, identify the specific types of injuries that they may be at increased risk of sustaining, and determine when risk returns to baseline. It is believed that the completion of this study will inform best-practice recommendations that Pac-12 clinicians can use to help guide return to play decisions and minimize student-athletes’ risk of injury following a concussion or coronavirus infection.

Title:Determining Musculoskeletal Injury Risk and Risk Patterns following Concussion and SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Project Summary: This project aims to:

determine if student-athletes are at increased risk for muscular or bone-related injury following a concussion or coronavirus infection,
identify the specific types of injuries that they may be at increased risk of sustaining, and
determine when risk returns to baseline.

It is believed that the completion of this study will inform best-practice recommendations that Pac-12 clinicians can use to help guide return to play decisions and minimize student-athletes’ risk of injury following a concussion or coronavirus infection.

PI: Dr. Kenneth Hunt

University of Colorado, Boulder

Title: The STEALTH Project Pilot Study: Student-Athlete Health Assessment Using PROMIS Tools
Project Summary: The study proposes the use of National Institute of Health’s Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys to assess the impact of participation and injuries in Pac-12 sports, inclusive of the physical, mental and social health of student-athletes before, during and after their competition seasons. The results of this pilot study will help identify student-athlete populations that may be at elevated risk, and allow for the identification of best practices that allow coaches, trainers, therapists and other healthcare providers to optimize student-athlete health and well-being as they participate over the course of a season.

Title: The STEALTH Project Pilot Study: Student-Athlete Health Assessment Using PROMIS Tools

Project Summary: The study proposes the use of National Institute of Health’s Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys to assess the impact of participation and injuries in Pac-12 sports, inclusive of the physical, mental and social health of student-athletes before, during and after their competition seasons. The results of this pilot study will help identify student-athlete populations that may be at elevated risk, and allow for the identification of best practices that allow coaches, trainers, therapists and other healthcare providers to optimize student-athlete health and well-being as they participate over the course of a season.

PI: Dr. Marc Norcross

Co-PIs: Dr. Samuel Johnson (OSU) and Dr. Christopher Scaffidi (OSU)

Oregon State University collaborating with Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles and University of Washington

Title: Injury Surveillance: Scaling Up Student-Athlete Exposure Tracking Using PacTrac
Project Summary: After a prior grant project developed PacTrac, a web-based application system that allows athletic trainers (ATs) to capture detailed athletic exposures to evaluate injury rate data, it was determined that the level of detail in which exposure is reported can influence injury rate estimates, and that the feasibility of collecting the most detail exposure information varied across AT staffing, sport and schools. The objectives of the proposal are to scale PacTrac for use conference-wide, engage stakeholders to develop conference-wide minimum exposure reporting standards for each sport, and assess the implementation feasibility of those standards using PacTrac. Upon completion, the project will provide the Conference and its member schools with the flexible exposure reporting system needed to harness the full potential of the Pac-12’s Sports Injury Registry Management and Analytics Program (SIRMAP) to support local and conference-wide improvements in student-athlete health and wellness. Achievements: With support from the Pac-12 SAHWB Grant Program, researchers from Oregon State University developed an athletic exposure reporting program called PacTrac and evaluated the feasibility of capturing athletic exposures as part of the HAP. The SAHWB Board approved a proposal in June 2020 to integrate the PacTrac technology into the conference-wide injury reporting system hosted by Presagia Sports. Since then, representatives from Presagia Sports, the Pac-12 HAP, the OSU research team, SAHWB, and Athlete Considerations Committee have worked collaboratively to implement exposure reporting into Presgaia and to train Pac-12 athletic trainers to use the workflow. This new feature will not only enhance the value of the HAP for research purposes, but has also allowed the implementation team to develop new clinical reports that are intended to assist athletic trainers in their day-to-day practice.

Title: Injury Surveillance: Scaling Up Student-Athlete Exposure Tracking Using PacTrac

Project Summary: After a prior grant project developed PacTrac, a web-based application system that allows athletic trainers (ATs) to capture detailed athletic exposures to evaluate injury rate data, it was determined that the level of detail in which exposure is reported can influence injury rate estimates, and that the feasibility of collecting the most detail exposure information varied across AT staffing, sport and schools. The objectives of the proposal are to scale PacTrac for use conference-wide, engage stakeholders to develop conference-wide minimum exposure reporting standards for each sport, and assess the implementation feasibility of those standards using PacTrac. Upon completion, the project will provide the Conference and its member schools with the flexible exposure reporting system needed to harness the full potential of the Pac-12’s Sports Injury Registry Management and Analytics Program (SIRMAP) to support local and conference-wide improvements in student-athlete health and wellness.

Achievements:

With support from the Pac-12 SAHWB Grant Program, researchers from Oregon State University developed an athletic exposure reporting program called PacTrac and evaluated the feasibility of capturing athletic exposures as part of the HAP.
The SAHWB Board approved a proposal in June 2020 to integrate the PacTrac technology into the conference-wide injury reporting system hosted by Presagia Sports. Since then, representatives from Presagia Sports, the Pac-12 HAP, the OSU research team, SAHWB, and Athlete Considerations Committee have worked collaboratively to implement exposure reporting into Presgaia and to train Pac-12 athletic trainers to use the workflow.
This new feature will not only enhance the value of the HAP for research purposes, but has also allowed the implementation team to develop new clinical reports that are intended to assist athletic trainers in their day-to-day practice.

PI: Dr. Doug Aukerman and the Pac-12 Brain Trauma Task Force

The Pac-12 Concussion Coordinating Unit - Project Director: Dr. Matthew McQueen, Project Team: Dr. Theresa Hernandez & Dr. Adam Bohr

University of Colorado

Title: Pac-12 and NCAA Collaboration - Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium Data Collection: Establishing a Research Infrastructure and Framework
Project Summary: This project, co-funded by the NCAA, will create the first full-conference regional research hub of the landmark CARE Consortium. The Consortium is funded by a partnership of the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System and the NCAA, and is a multi-site, longitudinal investigation of concussion and repetitive head impacts in NCAA athletes and military service academy cadets that addresses major gaps in the understanding of concussion. Through this project, each Pac-12 institution will be able to collect neurocognitive and neurobehavioral data on athletes at baseline, at the time a concussion occurs, and then at multiple time-points over the course of the year following an injury. Pac-12 Concussion Coordinating Unit Website: Click here.

Title: Pac-12 and NCAA Collaboration - Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium Data Collection: Establishing a Research Infrastructure and Framework

Project Summary: This project, co-funded by the NCAA, will create the first full-conference regional research hub of the landmark CARE Consortium. The Consortium is funded by a partnership of the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System and the NCAA, and is a multi-site, longitudinal investigation of concussion and repetitive head impacts in NCAA athletes and military service academy cadets that addresses major gaps in the understanding of concussion. Through this project, each Pac-12 institution will be able to collect neurocognitive and neurobehavioral data on athletes at baseline, at the time a concussion occurs, and then at multiple time-points over the course of the year following an injury.

Pac-12 Concussion Coordinating Unit Website: Click here.

Co PIs: Dr. Mark D’Esposito (CAL) and Dr. Cathra Halabi (UCSF)

Co-PIs: Dr. Ben Inglis (UCSF) and Dr. Wade Smith (UCSF)

University of California, Berkeley collaborating with University of California, San Francisco

Title: Head Trauma: Advancing New Biomarker Tests for Concussion Diagnosis and Recovery
Project Summary: The human brain is impacted by blood flow with each heartbeat with 25 percent of cardiac output directed toward the head. This flow generates a measurable pulse through the brain described by this study as the “headpulse.” This pulse can be measured noninvasively via a portable device. Developing the practice for measuring this biomarker will alleviate current challenges in predicting concussion resolution due to the lack of objective indicators. This study will also aim to characterize the brain’s recovery from sports-related concussions using an approach comprised of intermittent headpulse measurements in addition to current common practices. This study hypothesizes that the restoration of headpulse patterns to normal values will parallel improvements in key metrics. Ultimately, it is of this research team’s belief that tracking the headpulse may support safer release of student-athletes to normal activities following concussions in addition to other added benefits in healthcare.

Title: Head Trauma: Advancing New Biomarker Tests for Concussion Diagnosis and Recovery

Project Summary: The human brain is impacted by blood flow with each heartbeat with 25 percent of cardiac output directed toward the head. This flow generates a measurable pulse through the brain described by this study as the “headpulse.” This pulse can be measured noninvasively via a portable device. Developing the practice for measuring this biomarker will alleviate current challenges in predicting concussion resolution due to the lack of objective indicators. This study will also aim to characterize the brain’s recovery from sports-related concussions using an approach comprised of intermittent headpulse measurements in addition to current common practices. This study hypothesizes that the restoration of headpulse patterns to normal values will parallel improvements in key metrics. Ultimately, it is of this research team’s belief that tracking the headpulse may support safer release of student-athletes to normal activities following concussions in addition to other added benefits in healthcare.

PI: Dr. Christopher Yakacki

Co-PIs: Dr. Peter Jenkins, Dr. R. Dana Carpenter, Dr. Kai Yu, Dr. Sourav Poddar

University of Colorado, Boulder & Denver

Title: Head Trauma: Designing Safer Helmets Using Advanced Materials and Modeling
Project Summary: The University of Colorado's Boulder and Denver campuses have worked together to research football helmet design with a focus on lowering the severity of impacts and reducing the prevalence of concussions in the sport. Recently, the NFL released several computer models of helmets to investigate the influence of helmet materials and designs on head impacts. This study seeks to leverage this state-of-the-art technology and create new models to improve helmet safety using a recently developed high-performance polymer called liquid-crystal elastomers (LCEs). The LCEs will be incorporated in the helmet models and virtually tested to optimize their design. This approach will allow the investigators to rapidly test and evaluate the performance of new materials in helmets, without having to manufacture and physically validate each new configuration. Publications: Mills ST, Young, TS, Chatham LS, Poddar, S, Carpenter RD, Yakacki, CM. Effect of foam densification and impact velocity on the performance of a football helmet using computational modeling. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. Published online: August 25, 2020

Title: Head Trauma: Designing Safer Helmets Using Advanced Materials and Modeling

Project Summary: The University of Colorado's Boulder and Denver campuses have worked together to research football helmet design with a focus on lowering the severity of impacts and reducing the prevalence of concussions in the sport. Recently, the NFL released several computer models of helmets to investigate the influence of helmet materials and designs on head impacts. This study seeks to leverage this state-of-the-art technology and create new models to improve helmet safety using a recently developed high-performance polymer called liquid-crystal elastomers (LCEs). The LCEs will be incorporated in the helmet models and virtually tested to optimize their design. This approach will allow the investigators to rapidly test and evaluate the performance of new materials in helmets, without having to manufacture and physically validate each new configuration.

Publications:

Mills ST, Young, TS, Chatham LS, Poddar, S, Carpenter RD, Yakacki, CM. Effect of foam densification and impact velocity on the performance of a football helmet using computational modeling. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. Published online: August 25, 2020

PIs: Dr. Angela Lumba-Brown

Co-PIs: Dr. Jamshid Ghajar (Stanford), Dr. Masa Teramoto (Utah), Dr. Matthew McQueen (Colorado), Dr. Douglas Aukerman (OSU), Dr. Kimberly Harmon (UW), Dr. David Petron (Utah), Dr. Sourav Poddar (Colorado) and Russ Romano (USC)

Stanford University collaborating with the University of Colorado, Oregon State University, University of Southern California, University of Utah and University of Washington

Title: Head Trauma: The Subtypes of Concussion – Classification and Recovery Trajectories in Pac-12 Student Athletes
Project Summary: The goal for this study is to advance the science of concussion care and change how concussions are diagnosed and managed, allowing for earlier and more focused rehabilitation and treatments. By performing clinical research, this study will look to characterize and compare concussion subtypes over time and by gender, sport, school and medical history, including cardiovascular health, while also assessing recovery trajectories by concussion subtypes over a six-month span to allow for anticipated outcomes and targeted-treatment options. Presentations: Lumba-Brown, L. Tips and Tools to Implement Concussion Guidelines, Hawaii Department of Health Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii February 14, 2020.

Title: Head Trauma: The Subtypes of Concussion – Classification and Recovery Trajectories in Pac-12 Student Athletes

Project Summary: The goal for this study is to advance the science of concussion care and change how concussions are diagnosed and managed, allowing for earlier and more focused rehabilitation and treatments. By performing clinical research, this study will look to characterize and compare concussion subtypes over time and by gender, sport, school and medical history, including cardiovascular health, while also assessing recovery trajectories by concussion subtypes over a six-month span to allow for anticipated outcomes and targeted-treatment options.

Presentations:

Lumba-Brown, L. Tips and Tools to Implement Concussion Guidelines, Hawaii Department of Health Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii February 14, 2020.

PI: Dr. Peter Fino and Dr. Lee Dibble

Co-PIs: Dr. Daniel Cushman, Dr. Nicholas Monson, Dr. Angela Presson

University of Utah

Title: Head Trauma: Reactive Postural Responses after Concussion: Objective Measurement of Balance Recovery and Prospective Injury Risk
Project Summary: Reactive postural responses are used to recover balance, but they have received relatively little attention after concussion despite being common in athletics and critical to athlete safety and performance. Prior research has shown previously concussed athletes experience a greater risk of musculoskeletal injuries, but the cause of this increased risk is not known. This study will focus on a critical barrier of current balance assessments for concussion by objectively quantifying reactive postural responses to determine the connection between post-concussion postural control and musculoskeletal injuries. This project seeks to have immediate impact on concussion management by establishing a protocol to assess postural responses that is tailored for concussions and clinical use and can be rapidly implemented through the Pac-12. Long-term, this study seeks to provide the framework for future studies to examine rehabilitative approaches that train balance recovery to accelerate the recovery and/or decrease the risk of musculoskeletal injury following concussions. Publications: Morris, A, Cassidy, B, Pelo, R, Fino, NF, Fino, PC. Reactive Postural Responses After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Association With Musculoskeletal Injury Risk in Collegiate Athletes: A Study Protocol. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. October 29,2020

Title: Head Trauma: Reactive Postural Responses after Concussion: Objective Measurement of Balance Recovery and Prospective Injury Risk

Project Summary: Reactive postural responses are used to recover balance, but they have received relatively little attention after concussion despite being common in athletics and critical to athlete safety and performance. Prior research has shown previously concussed athletes experience a greater risk of musculoskeletal injuries, but the cause of this increased risk is not known. This study will focus on a critical barrier of current balance assessments for concussion by objectively quantifying reactive postural responses to determine the connection between post-concussion postural control and musculoskeletal injuries. This project seeks to have immediate impact on concussion management by establishing a protocol to assess postural responses that is tailored for concussions and clinical use and can be rapidly implemented through the Pac-12. Long-term, this study seeks to provide the framework for future studies to examine rehabilitative approaches that train balance recovery to accelerate the recovery and/or decrease the risk of musculoskeletal injury following concussions.

Publications:

Morris, A, Cassidy, B, Pelo, R, Fino, NF, Fino, PC. Reactive Postural Responses After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Association With Musculoskeletal Injury Risk in Collegiate Athletes: A Study Protocol. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. October 29,2020

PI: Dr. David Camarillo

Co-PIs: Dr. Gerald Grant (Stanford), Dr. Michael Zeineh (Stanford), Dr. Charles Liu (USC)

Stanford University collaborating with University of Southern California

Title: Head Trauma and Mental Health: From Head Impacts to Brain Injury, Determining the Mechanism Underlying Concussions in Pac-12 Football
Project Summary: In an effort to determine the causes of concussive injury, this study plans to implement the use of the Stanford Instrumented Mouthguard 2.0 (MiG2) in combination with MR imaging with the football teams at two Pac-12 institutions to collect data on concussions. This will expand upon recent research and data collected with an instrumented mouthguard in combination with MRI with the Stanford football program. In that study, researchers discovered that concussions could be predicted by peak head angular acceleration, correlating with signal changes on MRI. At its completion, this will be the first study to identify mechanisms of concussion by tracing the head angular acceleration input, to brain tissue damage, to advanced imaging detection of injury. Publications: Liu, Y, Donnel, AG, Yousefsani, SA, Kondic, J, Grant G, Zeineh M, Camarillo, DB. Validation and Comparison of Instrumented Mouthguards for Measuring Head Kinematics and Assessing Brain Deformation in Football Impacts. Ann Biomed Eng. 2020 Nov;48(11):2580-2598. doi: 10.1007/s10439-020-02629-3. Epub 2020 Sep 28 Mills, BD, Goubran, M, Camarillo, D, Grant, G, Zeineh, M. Longitudinal alteration of cortical thickness and volume in high-impact sports. Neuroimage. 2020 Aug 15;217:116864. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116864. Epub 2020 Apr 29. Parivash, SN, Goubran M, Camarillo, D, Grant, G, Zeineh, M. Longitudinal Changes in Hippocampal Subfield Volume Associated with Collegiate Football. J Neurotrauma. 2019 Oct 1;36(19):2762-2773. doi: 10.1089/neu.2018.6357. Epub 2019 Jun 17. Hernandez, F, Giordano, C, Goubran, M, Parivesh, S, Grant, G, Zeineh, M, Camarillo, D. Lateral impacts correlate with falx cerebri displacement and corpus callosum trauma in sports-related concussions. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2019 Jun;18(3):631-649. doi: 10.1007/s10237-018-01106-0. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

Title: Head Trauma and Mental Health: From Head Impacts to Brain Injury, Determining the Mechanism Underlying Concussions in Pac-12 Football

Project Summary: In an effort to determine the causes of concussive injury, this study plans to implement the use of the Stanford Instrumented Mouthguard 2.0 (MiG2) in combination with MR imaging with the football teams at two Pac-12 institutions to collect data on concussions. This will expand upon recent research and data collected with an instrumented mouthguard in combination with MRI with the Stanford football program. In that study, researchers discovered that concussions could be predicted by peak head angular acceleration, correlating with signal changes on MRI. At its completion, this will be the first study to identify mechanisms of concussion by tracing the head angular acceleration input, to brain tissue damage, to advanced imaging detection of injury.

Publications:

Liu, Y, Donnel, AG, Yousefsani, SA, Kondic, J, Grant G, Zeineh M, Camarillo, DB. Validation and Comparison of Instrumented Mouthguards for Measuring Head Kinematics and Assessing Brain Deformation in Football Impacts. Ann Biomed Eng. 2020 Nov;48(11):2580-2598. doi: 10.1007/s10439-020-02629-3. Epub 2020 Sep 28
Mills, BD, Goubran, M, Camarillo, D, Grant, G, Zeineh, M. Longitudinal alteration of cortical thickness and volume in high-impact sports. Neuroimage. 2020 Aug 15;217:116864. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116864. Epub 2020 Apr 29.
Parivash, SN, Goubran M, Camarillo, D, Grant, G, Zeineh, M. Longitudinal Changes in Hippocampal Subfield Volume Associated with Collegiate Football. J Neurotrauma. 2019 Oct 1;36(19):2762-2773. doi: 10.1089/neu.2018.6357. Epub 2019 Jun 17.
Hernandez, F, Giordano, C, Goubran, M, Parivesh, S, Grant, G, Zeineh, M, Camarillo, D. Lateral impacts correlate with falx cerebri displacement and corpus callosum trauma in sports-related concussions. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2019 Jun;18(3):631-649. doi: 10.1007/s10237-018-01106-0. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

PIs: Dr. Kim Harmon, Dr. Emily Kroshus and Dr. Sara Chrisman

Co-PI: Dr. Ann Glang (UO)

University of Washington collaborating with Seattle Children's Research Institute, University of Oregon and University of Colorado, Boulder

Title: Head Trauma: Strengthening Concussion Education by Engaging Medical Staff: Continued Program Development and Evaluation
Project Summary: Expanding on a previous grant project that led to the development of a web-based concussion training platform (www.GoHuddle.net), this study aims to 1) evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the platform, and 2) enhance the impact of the platform through a preseason meeting between coaches and medical staff about concussion. This study will use a participant-engaged approach to develop materials to support such a meeting and will conduct an evaluation of the platform and the additive impact of the preseason meeting in all interested Pac-12 institutions.

Title: Head Trauma: Strengthening Concussion Education by Engaging Medical Staff: Continued Program Development and Evaluation

Project Summary: Expanding on a previous grant project that led to the development of a web-based concussion training platform (www.GoHuddle.net), this study aims to 1) evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the platform, and 2) enhance the impact of the platform through a preseason meeting between coaches and medical staff about concussion. This study will use a participant-engaged approach to develop materials to support such a meeting and will conduct an evaluation of the platform and the additive impact of the preseason meeting in all interested Pac-12 institutions.

PI: Dr. George Brooks

Co-PI: Dr. Daniela Kaufer

University of California, Berkeley

Title: Head Trauma: Roles of Nutritive Support and Supplementation
Project Summary: Studies have shown that the brain uses lactate as a fuel source when available. Studies have also shown that patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often undernourished, meaning the brain has less fuel sources to use for healing. The goal of this project is to determine whether or not supplementation with lactate on the background of adequate nutrition will improve TBI recovery by giving the brain an extra fuel source. This will be accomplished through a series of studies on laboratory rats, where rats with mild TBIs that mimic concussions will be given standard of care (inadequate) nutrition, adequate nutrition, and adequate nutrition plus extra lactate. Brain healing will be assessed to see if appropriate nutrition with and without lactate supplementation improves recovery time and outcomes. Publications: Brooks, GA. The Science and Translation of Lactate Shuttle Theory, April 2018, Cell Metabolism.

Title: Head Trauma: Roles of Nutritive Support and Supplementation

Project Summary: Studies have shown that the brain uses lactate as a fuel source when available. Studies have also shown that patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often undernourished, meaning the brain has less fuel sources to use for healing. The goal of this project is to determine whether or not supplementation with lactate on the background of adequate nutrition will improve TBI recovery by giving the brain an extra fuel source. This will be accomplished through a series of studies on laboratory rats, where rats with mild TBIs that mimic concussions will be given standard of care (inadequate) nutrition, adequate nutrition, and adequate nutrition plus extra lactate. Brain healing will be assessed to see if appropriate nutrition with and without lactate supplementation improves recovery time and outcomes.

Publications:

Brooks, GA. The Science and Translation of Lactate Shuttle Theory, April 2018, Cell Metabolism.

PI: Dr. Cathleen Crowell

Co-PI: Dr. Viktor Bovbjerg

Oregon State University

Title: Injury Prevention: Documenting Overuse and Non-Time-Loss Injuries
Project Summary: Sports injury epidemiology has historically excluded overuse and non-time-loss injuries. Instead, research has focused on acute and time-loss injuries, despite the potential for overuse and non-time-loss injuries to hinder performance and influence long-term health. This study seeks to report the epidemiology of overuse and non-time-loss injuries across multiple Pac-12 sports while also identifying potential factors that may influence the occurrence of such injuries. The study will also look to report on the workload burden for healthcare utilization associated with treatment of such injuries. Conducting the research will help identify risk factors for overuse and non-time-loss injuries as well as provide details on the number and types of treatments and encounters. Results of this study will help inform decisions regarding injury prevention, holistic health and appropriate medical coverage, as the study’s findings will be of use for all sports medicine clinicians across the Pac-12.

Title: Injury Prevention: Documenting Overuse and Non-Time-Loss Injuries

Project Summary: Sports injury epidemiology has historically excluded overuse and non-time-loss injuries. Instead, research has focused on acute and time-loss injuries, despite the potential for overuse and non-time-loss injuries to hinder performance and influence long-term health. This study seeks to report the epidemiology of overuse and non-time-loss injuries across multiple Pac-12 sports while also identifying potential factors that may influence the occurrence of such injuries. The study will also look to report on the workload burden for healthcare utilization associated with treatment of such injuries. Conducting the research will help identify risk factors for overuse and non-time-loss injuries as well as provide details on the number and types of treatments and encounters. Results of this study will help inform decisions regarding injury prevention, holistic health and appropriate medical coverage, as the study’s findings will be of use for all sports medicine clinicians across the Pac-12.

PI: Dr. Daniel Cushman

Co-PIs: Dr. Masa Teramoto (Utah), Dr. David Petron (Utah), Dr. Amy Powell (Utah), Dr. Sarah Eby (Utah), Dr. Justin Rigby (Utah), Dr. Michael Fredericson (Stanford), Dr. Blake Corcoran (WSU) and Dr. Leyen Vu (WSU)

University of Utah collaborating with Stanford University and Washington State University

Title: Injury Prevention: Utilizing Ultrasound Imaging to Detect Precursors of Achilles Tendon, Patellar Tendon and Plantar Fascia Injuries
Project Summary: The patellar tendon, and Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia are common athletic injuries. These often result in prolonged recovery times, decreased performance and can also derail promising athletic careers. This study seeks to develop a method of using brief preseason ultrasound examinations of the bilateral patellar tendon, Achilles tendon and plantar fascia to identify precursors to injury of each. With the collaboration of select Pac-12 universities, the examinations will be performed prior to each academic season for a total of three years, first identifying subgroups of student-athletes with tendon and/or fascia abnormalities and those without before looking closer at those who develop such injuries as seasons progress. This research will provide impacts in the short-term by creating an easily-implemented procedure to help identify such injury risks as well as long-term by helping develop strategies to prevent future tendon and/or fascia injuries.

Title: Injury Prevention: Utilizing Ultrasound Imaging to Detect Precursors of Achilles Tendon, Patellar Tendon and Plantar Fascia Injuries

Project Summary: The patellar tendon, and Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia are common athletic injuries. These often result in prolonged recovery times, decreased performance and can also derail promising athletic careers. This study seeks to develop a method of using brief preseason ultrasound examinations of the bilateral patellar tendon, Achilles tendon and plantar fascia to identify precursors to injury of each. With the collaboration of select Pac-12 universities, the examinations will be performed prior to each academic season for a total of three years, first identifying subgroups of student-athletes with tendon and/or fascia abnormalities and those without before looking closer at those who develop such injuries as seasons progress. This research will provide impacts in the short-term by creating an easily-implemented procedure to help identify such injury risks as well as long-term by helping develop strategies to prevent future tendon and/or fascia injuries.

PI: Dr. Michael Fredericson (Stanford) and Dr. Aurelia Nattiv (University of California, Los Angeles)

Stanford University & University of California, Los Angeles

Title: Improving Bone Health and Reducing the Incidence of Bone Stress Injuries in Pac-12 Distance Runners: An Implementation Plan Focusing on Health Promotion, Optimal Fueling and Changing Culture.
Project Summary: The primary objective this project is to improve bone health and reduce the incidence of bone stress injuries in female and male distance runners (the highest risk groups) across all Pac-12 schools. This will be based on the successful results of their recently completed 3-year prospective study funded by the Pac-12. Pac-12 institutions will apply a universal risk stratification system based on evidence-based risk factor assessment to measure energy availability, disordered eating, menstrual irregularities, low bone mass, and prior bone stress injuries. They will also utilize an active nutrition education program emphasizing achievement of a positive energy balance. This intervention will optimize the health status of athletes by addressing low energy availability and disordered eating, restoring normal menstrual function, and increasing bone mineral density. Anticipated outcomes include changing team “culture” from a focus on injury treatment to injury prevention and health promotion.

Title: Improving Bone Health and Reducing the Incidence of Bone Stress Injuries in Pac-12 Distance Runners: An Implementation Plan Focusing on Health Promotion, Optimal Fueling and Changing Culture.

Project Summary: The primary objective this project is to improve bone health and reduce the incidence of bone stress injuries in female and male distance runners (the highest risk groups) across all Pac-12 schools.

This will be based on the successful results of their recently completed 3-year prospective study funded by the Pac-12.
Pac-12 institutions will apply a universal risk stratification system based on evidence-based risk factor assessment to measure energy availability, disordered eating, menstrual irregularities, low bone mass, and prior bone stress injuries.
They will also utilize an active nutrition education program emphasizing achievement of a positive energy balance. This intervention will optimize the health status of athletes by addressing low energy availability and disordered eating, restoring normal menstrual function, and increasing bone mineral density.
Anticipated outcomes include changing team “culture” from a focus on injury treatment to injury prevention and health promotion.

PI: Dr. Lori Michener

Co-PIs: Dr. Andrew Karduna (UO) and Dr. Roksana Karim (USC)

University of Southern California collaborating with the University of Oregon and University of California, Los Angeles

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Protection: Biomechanical metrics to improve performance and reduce elbow injuries in baseball
Project Summary: A common problem among baseball players is an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) at the elbow. The UCL provides ~50% counter to elbow force (varus torque) during pitching, putting the UCL at risk for injury. Elbow varus torque increases as ball velocity increases, but not for all pitchers. Elbow varus torque may be mediated by player physical factors, such as muscle performance, joint motion, and stability. The knowledge gap is understanding the ball velocity - elbow varus torque relationship, and how physical factors can mediate the relationship to reduce elbow varus torque. This study will aim to characterize player risk of UCL injuries by developing player profiles that can be used to: 1) target the identified physical factors to reduce injuries and inform rehabilitation after injury, 2) specify return to sport criteria and 3) guide performance enhancement. Presentations: Garcia NS, Lobb NJ, Barrack AJ, Zerega RJ, Yasen A, Rittenberry HB, Karduna AR, Michener, LA. The Pitcher-Specific Relationship between Pitch Velocity and Elbow Valgus Torque. American Physical Therapy Association - Combined Sections Meeting, Virtual 2/20/2021. Barrack AJ, Lobb NJ, Zerga RJ, Rittenberry HB, Yasen A, Karim R, Michener LA, Karduna AR. Baseball Pitcher-specific Elbow Torque-velocity Relationship: Influence of Physical Factors. American Physical Therapy Association - Combined Sections Meeting, Virtual 2/20/2021.

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Protection: Biomechanical metrics to improve performance and reduce elbow injuries in baseball

Project Summary: A common problem among baseball players is an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) at the elbow. The UCL provides ~50% counter to elbow force (varus torque) during pitching, putting the UCL at risk for injury. Elbow varus torque increases as ball velocity increases, but not for all pitchers. Elbow varus torque may be mediated by player physical factors, such as muscle performance, joint motion, and stability. The knowledge gap is understanding the ball velocity - elbow varus torque relationship, and how physical factors can mediate the relationship to reduce elbow varus torque. This study will aim to characterize player risk of UCL injuries by developing player profiles that can be used to: 1) target the identified physical factors to reduce injuries and inform rehabilitation after injury, 2) specify return to sport criteria and 3) guide performance enhancement.

Presentations:

Garcia NS, Lobb NJ, Barrack AJ, Zerega RJ, Yasen A, Rittenberry HB, Karduna AR, Michener, LA. The Pitcher-Specific Relationship between Pitch Velocity and Elbow Valgus Torque. American Physical Therapy Association - Combined Sections Meeting, Virtual 2/20/2021.
Barrack AJ, Lobb NJ, Zerga RJ, Rittenberry HB, Yasen A, Karim R, Michener LA, Karduna AR. Baseball Pitcher-specific Elbow Torque-velocity Relationship: Influence of Physical Factors. American Physical Therapy Association - Combined Sections Meeting, Virtual 2/20/2021.

PIs: Dr. James Martin

University of Utah

Title: Injury Prevention: Improving Rehabilitation Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair with Real-Time Feedback during Low Intensity Cycling
Project Summary: With an astounding 25% of athletes with previous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery developing additional ACL injury following surgery, this study aims to reduce compensatory patterns during movement exercises while evaluating the relationship between cycling symmetry and return-to-play outcomes. Of concern, current data indicates that these patterns progress, rather than diminish, during the course of rehabilitation and can go undetected due to maximal tests typically taking place several months following surgery. Low-intensity cycling is commonly prescribed and known to be safe soon after surgery. This project seeks to improve symmetry by providing biomechanical feedback during low-intensity cycling. It also aims to determine if cycling symmetry leads to improved symmetry during weight bearing tasks and reduces subsequent injuries. If successful, we believe this technique may improve rehabilitation of a variety of other leg injuries as well.

Title: Injury Prevention: Improving Rehabilitation Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair with Real-Time Feedback during Low Intensity Cycling

Project Summary: With an astounding 25% of athletes with previous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery developing additional ACL injury following surgery, this study aims to reduce compensatory patterns during movement exercises while evaluating the relationship between cycling symmetry and return-to-play outcomes. Of concern, current data indicates that these patterns progress, rather than diminish, during the course of rehabilitation and can go undetected due to maximal tests typically taking place several months following surgery. Low-intensity cycling is commonly prescribed and known to be safe soon after surgery. This project seeks to improve symmetry by providing biomechanical feedback during low-intensity cycling. It also aims to determine if cycling symmetry leads to improved symmetry during weight bearing tasks and reduces subsequent injuries. If successful, we believe this technique may improve rehabilitation of a variety of other leg injuries as well.

PI: Dr. Andrew Anderson

Co-PIs: Dr. Ken "Bo" Foreman, Dr. Stepehen Aoki and Dr. Travis Maak

University of Utah

Title: Injury and Prevention: Developing a Comprehensive, Quantitative Understanding of Hip Morphometrics and Biomechanics in Collegiate Athletes at Risk for Developing Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome

Project Summary: Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a common cause of hip pain and dysfunction among collegiate athletes, and a known precursor to hip osteoarthritis. Prevention is the key to reducing rates of FAIS, but research in this area is lacking. The research team believes effective prevention of FAIS starts with an in-depth understanding of how hip anatomy is altered in three-dimensions, and the extent to which abnormal hip anatomy disrupts hip biomechanics, prior to the onset of symptoms. In this study, researchers will compare 3D hip shape and biomechanics between collegiate athletes, control subjects that do not have a history of participation in the same sports, and FAIS patients who are seen in treated in the clinic. The future impact of this work is that it will support a prospective trial to determine if application of a modified training regimen reduces the prevalence of FAIS in athletes.

PI: Dr. Michael Hahn

Co-PIs: Dr. Scott Delp (Stanford), Dr. Rodger Kram (CU), Dr. Alena Grabowski (CU), Dr. Jill McNitt-Gray (USC), Dr. Lorraine Turcotte (USC), Dr. Brent Liu (USC), Dr. Kormelia Kulig (USC)

University of Oregon collaborating with University of Colorado, University of Southern California & Stanford University

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Prevention: Integration of Biomechanics-based Informatics for Prevention of Stress Fractures

Project Summary: Stress fractures are a very common form of injury in athletes, especially long distance runners. This project’s goal is to analyze a group of runners’ biomechanical information such as foot motion patterns, foot-to-ground contact patterns, and accelerations and then track stress fracture development in these runners over a three year period to see which biomechanical patterns are associated with the development of stress fractures. This new biomechanics-based information can then be integrated with already known risk factors such as nutrition status and training volume/intensity to predict runners who are at a higher risk of stress fracture.

Abstract Presentations:

Day ER, McGeehan MA., Hahn ME. A method to estimate gait cycle duration using resultant lower limb accelerations. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement. Salford, UK, 2018.
McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Time and frequency correlates between resultant lower limb acceleration and resultant ground reaction force during running. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement. Salford, UK, 2018.
McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Resultant lower limb acceleration and ground reaction forces are correlated in the time and frequency domains. 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics. Rochester, MN, 2018.
Alcantara RS, Day EM, Hahn ME, Grabowski AM. Sacral accelerations predict whole body kinetics and stride kinematics during running. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA.
Farina KA, Donahue S, Day EM, McGeehan MA, Hahn ME. Peak lower-limb acceleration in collegiate distance runners over varying surfaces. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA.
McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Resultant lower limb acceleration and ground reaction forces are correlated in the time and frequency domains. American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, 2018, Rochester, MN, USA.
McGeehan MA, Day ER, Hahn ME. Time and frequency correlates between resultant lower limb acceleration and resultant ground reaction force during running. XV International Symposium on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement, July 2018, Salford, UK.
Papp MJ, Wilcox R, McNitt-Gray J. Association of swing and stance leg accelerations with reaction forced during the initial contact phase of running. International and American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Aug 2019, Calgary, CA.

Presentations:

Farina KA, Donahue SR. Kinematic and kinetic differences pre- and post-femoral stress reaction injury: A case study. 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Atlanta, GA. 8/5/2020.

PI: Dr. Christopher Kweon

Co-PIs: Dr. Albert Gee & Dr. Scott Telfer

University of Washington

Title: Injury Prevention: Simple motion capture technology for readiness of return to sport assessment and injury risk prediction

Project Summary: There are few objective and widely accepted methods to determine when student-athletes are ready to return to their sport after injury or surgery, and even fewer methods available to measure abnormal joint movements. The goal of this study is to compare a low cost simple motion capture technology (Microsoft Kinect™) to the gold standard (but more expensive and complicated) standard motion capture system (Vicon™). Functional movement data will be evaluated in healthy volunteers using both systems and results will be compared to help determine if Microsoft Kinect is a viable option to measure abnormal joint movements and help facilitate safe return to sports after injury at a lower cost than standard systems.

Publications:

Tipto CC, Telfer S, Cherones A, Gee AO, Kweon CY. The use of Microsoft Kinect ™ for assessing readiness of return to sport and injury risk exercises: a validation study. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019 Sep; 14(5): 724–730.

PI: Dr. Michael Fredericson

Co-PI: Dr. Aurelia Nattiv (UCLA)

Stanford University collaborating with University of California, Los Angeles

Title: Overuse Injuries/Injury Prevention: A Prospective Study to Improve Bone Health and Reduce Incidence of Bone Stress Injuries in Pac-12 Female Distance Runners

Project Summary: The primary objective of this project is to improve the health of female collegiate distance runners, reduce the incidence and severity of bone stress injuries, and shorten recovery time. This will be accomplished with an active nutrition education program emphasizing the achievement of positive energy balance measured by increasing energy intake and/or reducing exercise energy expenditure.

Presentations:

Kussman A, Fredericson M, Krauss E, Singh S, Deakins-Roche, Miller E, Kim B, Tenforde A, Barrack MT, Sainani K, Nattiv A. The Female Athlete Triad Cumulative Risk Assessment score implemented at the pre-participation physical exam correlates with risk of bone stress injury in collegiate distance runners: a four-year prospective study. AMSSM Abstract (podium presentation - Young Investigator Award to Dr. Kussman), CJSM Vol 28(3), May 2018.

Abstracts:

Miller E, Fredericson M, Kussman A, Krauss E, Singh S, Deakins-Roche M, Kim B, Tenforde A, Sainani K, Nattiv A. Youth multi-sport participation is associated with higher bone mineral density in female collegiate distance runners. ACSM Abstract, MSSE, May 2018.
Barrack MT, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Miller B, Nattiv A. Utilization and efficacy of the "Run-Fueled" smart phone application among collegiate endurance runners. ACSM Abstract, MSSE, May 2018.
Kraus E, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Roche M, Tenforde A, Barrack M, Fredericson M. SerumN-telopeptide is associated with low bone mineral density in a cohort of NCAA Division I distance Runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX.
Singh S, Kraus E, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Roche M, Tenforde A, Barrack M, Fredericson M. Sleep correlates with faster mile time and increased triad risk factors in female runners, a five-year exploratory analysis of prospectively collected data. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX.
Barrack M, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Miller E, Nattiv A. Utilization and efficacy of the "run fueled" smart-phone application among collegiate endurance runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX.
Miller E, Fredericson M, Kraus E, Kim B, Singh S, Gravani K, Barrack M, Nattiv A. Youth multi-sport participation is associated with higher bone mineral density in female collegiate distance runners. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Apr 16, 2019, Houston, TX.

Publications:

Kraus E, Tenforde A, Nattiv A, Sainani K, Kussman A, Deakins-Roche M, Singh S, Kim B, Barrack M, Fredericson M. Bone stress injuries in male distance runners: Higher modified female athlete triad cumulative risk assessment score predict increased rates of injury. British Journal of Sports M Medicine 2019 Feb; 53 (4): 237-242.

PI: Dr. Marc Norcross

Co-PIs: Dr. Samuel Johnson & Dr. Viktor Bovbjerg

Oregon State University

Title: Injury Surveillance: How much is enough? Enhancing the precision of team injury estimates using detailed athlete exposure information

Project Summary: In the first funding cycle of the Grant Program, the Pac-12 funded the creation of a conference-wide sports injury database with the help of Presagia Sports, an Athlete Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform. The database enables Conference doctors and athletic trainers to analyze the prevalence of sports injuries and conduct investigations on aspects of injury management such as prevention, treatment, and concussion assessment. In conjunction with the advent of the conference-wide database, the results of the OSU project will provide essential evidence that the Pac-12 can immediately use as a basis for deciding what level of athletic exposure data should be captured in order to harness the full potential of the new database.

Published Abstracts & Presentations:

Norcross MF, Johnson ST. How much is enough? Enhancing the precision of team injury estimates using detailed athlete exposure information. (Final Report). Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health Conference, Las Vegas, NV. May 5, 2017.
Norcross MF, Johnson ST, Bovbjerg VE. Athletic exposure methodology influence injury risk estimates in collegiate sports. 2018 National Athletic Trainers’ Association Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, New Orleans, LA.

Citations:

Norcross MF, Johnson ST, Bovbjerg VE. Athletic exposure methodology influences injury risk estimates in collegiate sports. J Athl Train. 2018;53(6):S58.

PI: Dr. Kim Harmon

Co-PIs: Dr. Jonathan Drezner, Dr. David Owens & Dr. Jordan Prutkin

University of Washington collaborating with all Pac-12 schools

Title: Cardiovascular Screening in the Pac-12 Conference: Establishing Best Practices

Project Summary: Sudden cardiac death is the leading medical cause of death in college athletes and has been designated as a high priority area for research by the Pac-12. This study is designed to answer critical questions regarding screening for cardiovascular conditions that predispose athletes to sudden death by comparing the schools that screen with history and a physical to those that add an electrocardiogram. The study will compare conditions identified, total costs, costs per diagnosis, time lost from competition, and any adverse outcomes related to screening with each strategy.

Presentations:

Harmon KG, Suchsland Z, Prutkin JM, Owens DS, Aukerman DF, Hwang CE, Lancaster SC, Petron DJ, Poddar SK, Porter DE, Petek BJ, Malik A, Drezner JA. Comparison of Cardiovascular Screening in College Athletes by History and Physical Examination with and without an Electrocardiogram: Efficacy and Cost. Heart Rhythm. (Internet publication ahead of print. May 4, 2020).
Petek BJ, Drezner JA, Harmon KG. Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hypertension in College Athletes. (Accepted by Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine 2020)
Petek BJ, Drezner JA, Prutkin JM, Owens DS, Tran T, Harmon KG. Electrocardiogram Interpretation in College Athletes: Local Institution versus Sports Cardiology Center Interpretation. J Electrocardiol. 2020:7(62);49-56.
Harmon KG, Zigman ML, Prutkin J, Owens D, Drezner J. Preparticipation cardiovascular screening in the Pac-12: a comparison of history and physical with or without ECG; Journal of the American College of Cardiology Volume 73, Issue 9 Supplement 1, March 2019DOI: 10.1016/S0735-1097(19)30901-5.
Harmon KG, Cardiovascular Screening in the Pac-12: Comparing History and Physical with and without ECG – American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, April 15, 2019; NCAA Best Research Award.

PI: Dr. Daniel Taylor - University of Arizona

University of Arizona

Title: Pac-12 Test of the Effectiveness of Bodies in Motion in Reducing Disordered Eating and Body Image Concerns, and Improving Psychological Well-Being, Among Male and Female Student-Athletes

Project Summary: The Bodies in Motion (BIM) program was established as an acceptable, evidence-based intervention that improved the body image and psychological well-being in a sample of primarily Caucasian, female-identifying athletes who suffered from body image and disordered eating concerns. The upcoming project aims to examine the effectiveness of BIM with a racially/ethnically diverse group of female and male-identifying athletes with body image concerns. Participants should have immediate well-being and mental health benefits from their involvement in BIM, with athletes who previously completed the program viewing what they learned in BIM as central to their successful transition out of college sports.

PI: The Student Athlete Health and Well-Being Initiative Board and the Pac-12 Mental Health Task Force

Project Director: Dr. Daniel Taylor, Project Team: Dr. Alex Auerbach, Dr. Michael Grandner & Dr. John Ruiz

University of Arizona

Title: The Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Mental Health Coordinating Unit

Project Summary: The Mental Health Coordinating Unit (MHCU) was established in 2020. The unit works with the Pac-12 SAHWBI Board and Mental Health Task Force help to:

Facilitate and define the addition of mental health variables for the Pac-12’s Presagia database (a cloud-based software solution for simplifying and sharing health record information and data anonymously across all 12 universities),
Establish mental health screening methods consistent with NCAA best practice recommendations to be implemented at each Pac-12 university,
Facilitate policies and procedures that address positive mental health screening methods and
Reports on epidemiologic outcomes at the end of the study’s period with an initial phase of activities set for three years

Led by a program director from a Pac-12 university, the MHCU will begin on the campus of the University of Arizona as the Wildcats’ program serves as a model for future implementation across all Pac-12 universities.

PI: Dr. Theresa Hernandez

Co-PI: Dr. Adam Bohr

University of Colorado, Boulder

Title: Student Athlete Health and Well-Being: Looking at the Past to Inform the Future

Project Summary: In collecting and utilizing data from former student-athletes to inform current best practices, this study will assess longitudinal patterns of physical and psychological health while paying attention to the presence of chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.) and mental health diagnoses in student-athlete alumni compared to cohort matched student non-athlete alumni. The research will also aim to build upon previous related research by assessing socioeconomic and first-generation status as group profiles, as well as modifying factors of student-athlete health following their collegiate careers. The goal of this research is not only to characterize life-course trajectories, but also to utilize this information to identify best practices, thereby creating opportunities to improve and optimize the overall health and well-being of current and future student-athletes.

PIs: Dr. Christopher Barry

Co-PIs: Dr. Kelli Moran-Miller (Stanford)

Washington State University collaborating with Arizona State University, University of California, Berkeley, Oregon State University, Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, University of Utah, University of Washington

Title: Student-Athlete Well-Being: Social Media Engagement and Mental Health in Pac-12 Student-Athletes

Project Summary: By investigating the relationship between social media activity, self-perception and mental health among Pac-12 student-athletes, this project seeks to gain a better understanding of both the detrimental and positive aspects of student-athletes’ social media use, as well as the potential benefits of protective behavioral strategies involving social media (e.g., turning off electronic devices at night or restricting social media access during study time). The findings will seek to provide improved abilities to educate student-athletes on adaptive uses of social media and bolster their academic, mental health, physical and personal well-being.

PIs: Taylor Ricci and Nathan Braaten

Oregon State University

Title: Mental Health: #DamWorthIt Campaign

Project Summary: The #DamWorthIt Campaign, which was launched at Oregon State University in 2018, has a mission statement of utilizing the influential platform of sport to open the conversation around mental health in collegiate athletics, ending the stigma to make every team, every sport, and every student-athlete know that they are #DamWorthIt! The #DamWorthIt Campaign is designed to be a comprehensive program that will work to end the stigma around mental health through three pillars: education, resources and awareness/comfort. The #DamWorthIt Campaign aims to normalize, destigmatize and spread awareness about the epidemic of mental health in collegiate athletics through these three distinct pillars. The focus of this grant project is to expand the #DamWorthIt program throughout Pac-12 Conference Athletic Departments and Student-Athlete Advisory Committees.

Achievements:

Keep Oregon Well Mental Health Heroes Award, 2019
Nike Oregon Sports Awards- Play It Forward, 2017-2018
Institute for Sport Social Justice Giant Steps Civic Leaders Award, 2018

PI: Dr. William Byrnes

Co-PIs: Dr. Theresa Hernandez & Dr. Ken Wright

University of Colorado

Title: Health and Wellness: Assessing Student-Athlete Health and Performance

Project Summary: This project proposes a comprehensive approach to optimize the academic, athletic, health, and wellness experience of student-athletes. Specifically, the project seeks to assess important indicators of student-athlete health and wellness, integrate key information within the Pac-12 Sports Injury Registry Management and Analytics Program, and implement and disseminate important best practices for sustainable student-athlete training and performance throughout the Pac-12.

Publications & Presentations:

Goodrich J, Frisco D, Rueda M, Poddar S, Brynes W. The importance of lean mass and iron deficiency when comparing hemoglobin mass in male and female athletic groups, October 6, 2020, Journal of Applied Physiology. Click here to read.
Morris KL, Goodrich JA, Poddar S, Widstrom L, Rueda M, Byrnes W. Hematological changes in elite collegiate cross-country runners residing at moderate altitude: a retrospective analysis. Presented at the 2017 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Villegas E, McCartney D, Holliday M, Bohr A, McQueen M, Hernández TD. Travel in collegiate varsity student-athletes: relationship to mood across seasons and the factors that influence this relationship. Presented at 2018 Society for Neuroscience National Conference, Toronto.
Moreng JM, Goodrich JA, Higdon JC, Holliday M, Rueda MA, Poddar S, Hernandez TD, McQueen MB, Wright KP, Byrnes WC. Reproducibility of free-living physical activity/sedentary behaviors in college undergraduates. Presented at the 2018 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Frisco D, Goodrich J, Higdon J, Wright K, Byrnes WA comparison of physical activity behaviors and sleep in female NCAA Division-I athletes versus controls. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Sewan K, Goodrich JA, Byrnes WC. Comparing total hemoglobin mass between selected NCAA Division I athletes and recreationally active students. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Goodrich JA, Kim S, Frisco DJ, Detwiler K, Rueda M, Poddar S, Byrnes WC. Relationship between Hepcidin, Interluken-6, and Ferritin in Division-I Cross-Country runners over a competitive season. Accepted for presentation at 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Convention.
Morris K, Widstrom L, Goodrich J, Poddar S, Rueda M, Holliday M, San Millian I, Byrnes WC (2017). A retrospective analysis of collegiate athlete blood biomarkers at moderate altitude. Submitted for publication in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Modifications requested by reviewers are currently being addressed and a revised manuscript will be submitted by April 2019.
Villegas E, McCartney D, Holliday M, Bohr A, McQueen MB, Hernández TD (2018). Travel in collegiate varsity student-athletes: relationship to mood across seasons. Manuscript submitted for publication in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise.

PIs: Dr. Kim Harmon & Dr. Emily Kroshus

Co-PIs: Dr. Sara Chrisman (UW) & Dr. Ann Glang (UO)

University of Washington collaborating with University of Oregon

Title: Pac-12 Student-Athlete Project on Developing Coach Education

Project Summary: This project aims to develop evidence-based, easily scalable educational programs for college coaches about topics related to student-athlete health and safety, beginning with concussions.

Explore GoHuddle.net:

PI: Dr. Craig Heller

Co-PI: Dr. Dennis Grahn

Stanford University

Title: Thermal Management for Athletes: Problems and Opportunities

Project Summary: The Heller laboratory at Stanford has developed a unique technology that rapidly extracts heat from the core of the body. It has been used in a number of cases where athletes were showing signs of heat illness, and recovery was rapid. This project will include a telemetric study of changes in body temperature of athletes during practice and competition as a function of environmental conditions, as well as comparative studies of methods to achieve rapid recovery from hyperthermia and studies of the benefits of heat extraction in physical conditioning of female athletes.

Background Publications:

Title: Enhancing thermal exchange in humans and practical applications. Background to funding project. Published 2012: Disruptive Science and Technology.
Title: Work volume and strength training responses to resistive exercise improve with periodic heat extraction from the palm. Background to funding project. Published 2012: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Title: Novel application of chemical cold packs for treatment of exercise-induced hyperthermia: a randomized controlled trial. Background to funding project. Published 2015 Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.

Publications:

Dennis G, Makam M, Craig Heller H (2018) A method to reduce heat strain while clad in encapsulating outerwear, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 15:8, 573-579, DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2018.1470635.

Achievements:

Dr. Heller has started a new company to provide this thermal management technology to potential users in 2021.

PI: Dr. Deborah Yurgelun-Tood

Co-PIs: Dr. Charlie Hicks-Little, Dr. Perry Renshaw, Dr. Erin McGlade & Dr. Andrew Prescot

University of Utah

Title: Mental Health and Head Trauma: Brain Health in Male and Female Basketball Student-Athletes at the University of Utah

Project Summary: There is a need to better define the neurobiological, cognitive, and behavior changes in competitive athletes prone to head injury both pre- and post-injury. The aim of this study is to assess the association between concussive symptoms, mood states, cognitive performance, and brain changes in female and male basketball student-athletes and football student-athletes.

Manuscripts:

Cho HB, Bueler CE, DiMuzio J, Hicks-Little C, McGlade EC, Lyoo IK, Yurgelun-Todd D (2018). Negative mood states correlate with laterobasal amygdala in collegiate football players. Biomed Res Int.

Anstracts:

Bueler CE, Epstein DJ, Hicks-Little CA, Fuller AA, McGlade EC, DiMuzio JM, et al. (2016). Aggression and quality of life in collegiate football players at pre-season and one-year follow up. Paper presented at the American College of Sports Medicine, Boston, MA.
DiMuzio JM, Bueler CE, Hicks-Little CA, Fuller AA, McGlade EC, Yurgelun-Todd DA Orbitofrontal connectivity and impulsivity characteristics in collegiate football players. Accepted the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, 2016.
Cho HB, Bueler CE, DiMuzio JM, McGlade EC, Yurgelun-Todd DA. Negative mood state correlated with laterobasal amygdala in collegiate football players. Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual meeting, 2016.
Fisher N, DiMuzio J, Bueler E, Yurgelun-Todd D, McGlade E. Distress tolerance in athletes as it relates to mood, anger, and aggression. Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Annual meeting, 2017.
Cho HB, Bueler E, DiMuzio J, McGlade E, Yurgelun-Todd D. Longitudinal changes and recovery in cortical thickness of collegiate football players. May 2017. Biological Psychiatry 81(10):S110. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.282.
Rogowska J, McGlade E, Legaretta M, Yurgelun-Todd D, Sex differences in default mode connectivity in basketball players. 2018 Organization of Human Brain Mapping.
Shi, XF, Bueler C, McGlade E, Renshaw P, Yurgelun-Todd D. A history of concussion predicts brain chemistry changes in NCAA Division I college athletes. May 2018. Biological Psychiatry 83(9):S311. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.799.

Pac-12 Student-Athlete Research & Travel Awards

Colorado, UCLA, Washington and Washington State

Title: Pac-12 Student-Athlete Travel Awards for 2022 Student-Athlete Health Conference

Summary: Four current or former student-athletes appeared at the 2022 Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health Conference to present research projects that benefited from travel funding provided by the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Research and Travel Awards. Women’s soccer players Chloe Castaneda (UCLA) and Elisabeth Geraghty (Colorado) and cross country/track & field athletes Samantha Boyle (Washington State) and Melany Smart (Washington) conducted research with access to data provided by the Pac-12 Health Analytics Program. Primary research topics included incidence of stress fractures, tendon and bone overuse injuries, and concussion analysis across sport and non-sport activities. The student-athletes spoke positively about the opportunity to earn poster presentation experience and solicit constructive feedback from medical professionals on site at the conference.

See section above for each prior grant awardee by topic.

Pac-12 Research Grant Reviewers

The Pac-12 would like to thank all Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Grant Program reviewers for their commitment of time and expertise. Their invaluable input contributes to ensuring funded projects meet rigorous academic and scientific standards. This results in developing best practices that are conducive to improvements in high priority areas for the Pac-12 in benefit of student-athletes.

Below is a complete list of Pac-12 Research Grant reviewers:

Dr. Jake Abbott	Dr. Joshua Goldman	Dr. Sakiko Oyama
Dr. William Adams	Dr. Fernando Gomez-Pinilla	Diana Padilla
Dr. Venu Akuthota	Dr. Daniel Gould	Dr. William Parham
Dr. Anna Alkozei	Dr. Scott Grafton	Anthony Pass
Dr. Yoshimi Anzai	Dr. Patrick Greis	Dr. Stephen Paul
Dr. Liz Applegate	Dr. Dustin Grooms	Dr. David Peng
Dr. Kristy Arbogast	Dr. F. Winston Gwathmey	Dr. Frank Petrigliano
Dr. Raphael Arku	Dr. Sharon Hame	Dr. David Petron
Dr. April Armstrong	Dr. Kim Harmon	Dr. Vaishali Phatak
Dr. Irf Asif	Dr. Josh Hatch	Dr. Nicholas Phillips
Dr. Doug Aukerman	Dr. Sunday Henry	Dr. Leslie Podlog
Dr. Talin Babikian	Dr. Dan Herman	Dr. Steven Poon
Dr. Ashwin Babu	Dr. Theresa Hernandez	Dr. Whitney Pope
Dr. Jimmy Bagley	Dr. Charlie Hicks-Little	Dr. Hollis Potter
Dr. Michael Bailey	Dr. Kasee Hildenbrand	Dr. Christopher Powers
Dr. Jennifer Baine	Dr. Mark Hoffman	Dr. Mayumi Prins
Dr. David Baron	Marissa Holliday	Dr. Amanda Rabinowitz
Stephen Bartlinski	Dr. Lindsay Huston	Dr. Russ Richardson
Dr. Christine Baugh	Dr. Calvin Eric Hwang	Justin Rigby
Dr. Josh Beaumont	Dr. Franco Impellizzeri	Kevin Robell
Dr. Michelle Bell	Trevor Jameson	Dr. John Roll
Dr. Daniel Belsky	Dr. Sara Johnson	Russ Romano
Dr. Bryan Bergman	Dr. Kristopher Jones	Dr. Karen Roos
Dr. Matt Briggs	Dr. Andrew Karduna	Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
Dr. George Brooks	Dr. Steven Kautz	Dr. Christopher Rhea
Stephanie Brooks	Dr. Zachary Kerr	Dr. Darren Ruddell
Dr. Angela Bryan	Lucas Klawiter	Miguel Rueda
Dr. Jennifer Carter	Dr. Anthony Kline	Dr. Jonathan Rylander
Dr. Joan Casey	Dr. Emily Kraus	Dr. Sohrab Sami
Dr. Carl Castro	Dr. Thomas “Tad” Kremen	Dr. Michael Schubert
Dr. Robert Catena	Dr. Shanyn Lancaster	Dr. Kevin Shannon
Dr. Laurence Chalip	Dr. Enette Larson-Meyer	Molly Sicard
Dr. Cindy Chang	Dr. Kevin Laudner	Dr. Amy Silder
Dr. Anikar Chhabra	Dr. Michael Leiter	Dr. Greg Skaggs
Dr. Li-Shan Chou	Dr. Alan Light	Dr. Robert Spencer
Dr. Constance Chu	Dr. David Lin	James Spooner
Dr. Jay Clugston	Dr. Fred Lin	Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt
Dr. Stephany Coakley	Dr. Joseph Liu	Dr. Kelley Strohacker
Dr. Randy Cohen	Dr. Sylvia Lucas	Dr. Emily Sweeney
Doug Contaoi	Sarah Lyons	Dr. Lovie Tabron
Dr. Steve Corman	Alana Martinez	Dr. Jean Yuh Tang
Ryan Crews	Dr. Bruce MacWilliams	Dr. Phiroz Tarpore
Dr. C. Munro Cullum	Dr. David McAllister	Fred Tedeschi
Dr. Craig Davidson	Dr. Chris McCrum	Dr. Jeff Temple
Dr. Craig Denegar	Joe McBeth	Dr. Masa Teramoto
Mike Dillon	Dr. Eric McCarty	Kim Terrell
Laura Dixon	Kenny McCarty	Dr. Jakob Tholander
Dr. Bradley Donohue	Dr. Roger McCoy	Dr. Ed Tingstad
Dr. Tom Dompier	Dr. Erica McKenzie	Dr. Lorin Tredinnick
Dr. Jason Dragoo	Dr. Tamara McLeod	Dr. Sarah Ulrich-French
Dr. R. J. Elbin	Chris Melton	Dr. Evan Unger
Dr. Kate Fahy	Dr. John Mercer	Jeremy Vail
Dr. Brian Feeley	Dr. John Meyer	Dr. Karin VanBaak
Dr. Jonathan Finnoff	Dr. Barry Miller	Dr. John VanHorn
Dr. Dena Florczyk	Dr. David Millward	Dr. Anita Vasavada
Dr. Jason Ford	Dr. Richard Mink	Dr. Daniel Vigil
Julia Ford	Dr. Lynn Nadel	Dr. Stella Volpe
Dr. Marcos Frank	Dr. Gustavo Nader	Chelesa Williamson
Dr. Glenn Gaesser	Dr. Marc Norcross	Dr. Jeff Weiss
Dr. Seth Gamradt	Dan Nordquist	Dr. Robert Weiss
Dr. Craig Garrison	Dr. Ruth O'Hara	Dr. Stuart Willick
Dr. Scott Gayzik	Dr. John O’Kane	Dr. Antonia Zaferiou
Dr. Kate Geiger	Dr. Mark Opp	Dr. Jessica (Deneweth) Zendler
Dr. Gary Glover	Dr. Alberto Oseguera	Dr. Monica Zigman
Dr. Grace Golden	Dr. Louis Osternig