Jacob Earp

Assistant Professor

CAHNR Kinesiology

Research Interests

My lab group studies novel strategies for improving muscle quality (function relative to size) across the lifespan. For athletes this means better performance without added bulk, for sports injuries this means making the muscle more resilient to injury / re-injury, and for physically impaired older adults this means the retention of physical function and improved quality of life. Current strategies being tested by our lab group include determining how specific exercise conditions effect muscle shape and sub-structure with an emphasis on training regions of the muscle most commonly injured in sport, determining how different therapeutic interventions (e.g. massage, stretching, resistance training, ect…) effect muscle stiffness and injury risk, and how to prevent the age related loss of muscle quality seen in older adults to prevent sarcopenia. Our lab group uses a variety of tools including medical imaging (e.g. ultrasound and MRI), physiological measurements (e.g NIRS, EMG, and metabolic carts), and biomechanics measurements (e.g. power meters, dynamometry and motion capture).

Current Research Projects

The effects of percussion massage in intramuscular stiffness.

The relationship between intramuscular stiffness and hamstring strain risk in running athletes.

The effects of running incline on regional muscle activation.

A geroscience guided approach to improving muscle quality in older adults.

Heterogeneity of Vulnerability in Aging Cohort

Validation of a targeted amino acid beverage for people with Parkinson’s Disease (collaboration with Dr. Colon-Semenza in PT)