Advanced Physiology and Biomechanics

This course offers a comprehensive exploration of advanced concepts in physiology and biomechanics dedicated to exercise training. 

Advanced physiology. Students will discover the molecular mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle adaptations to endurance and resistance trainings through both theoretical and practical approaches. Students will also gain insight into the functioning and adaptability of the nervous system, focusing on methods to evaluate the excitability of the central nervous system and muscle activity using high-density electromyograph.

Advanced biomechanics. Students will discover and actually quantify during practice the main kinetics, kinematics of movement and experiment 3D video measurements, ground reaction force, accelerometry (depending on the year and laboratory setting). Supervised group work will be used so that the students experience biomechanical data analysis, and present their results.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand and analyze data related to skeletal muscle adaptations to endurance and resistance trainings – To implement this knowledge to better rationalize training program
• Analyze and interpret data related to exercise training, applying appropriate statistical and data analysis software
• Understand how to evaluate the excitability of the central nervous system and to interpret changes in motor pathway responses under various physiological conditions
• Analyze and interpret data related to neuromuscular function using advanced electrophysiological tools
• Analyze and interpret locomotion biomechanical data applied to e.g. jumping, running or sprinting movements.

• Molecular exercise physiology (18H00)
  • molecular determinants of muscle fiber type specifications (4H00)
  • molecular determinants of skeletal muscle adaptations to endurance and resistance trainings (8H00)
  • A practical approach: analysis of protein expression by western blot (6H00)
• Advanced neuromuscular physiology (7h00)
  • Techniques to assess central nervous system excitability (4h00)
  • High-density electromyography (3h00)
• Advanced Biomechanics (20h00)
  • Theory and key papers analysis on locomotion biomechanics (4h00)
  • Practice by groups around kinematic and kinetic data acquisition (6h00)
  • Supervised data analysis (6h00)
  • Presentation of the results (abstract and presentation following a congress format/instructions) and assessment (4h)

• Written Assessment (/20):

Data analysis and interpretation of a scientific study. Abstract writing based on the biomechanical data analysis.

• Oral Assessment (/20):

For the biomechanics part, oral presentation of the analysis and results, discussion with the professors.