Schedule – Virtual Session

Wednesday, November 2, 2022
2:00 – 3:30 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A

Exploration of the unknown and the extreme has been a constant part human history. These endeavors challenge the limits of normal physiology in abnormal environments and contribute to our fund of knowledge. The lessons learned from these adventures often translate to the management of acute and chronic diseases in our patients with abnormal physiology in normal, clinical environments. The presenters on this panel have significant experience evaluating human physiology in settings ranging from free diving to unimaginable underwater depths, to climbing the summits of Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Everest, to flying to the International Space Station (ISS) for long-duration space missions, and all points in between. The panel will speak to the challenges in the preparation, performance, and reconditioning phases of these adventures. The panel will highlight how high-quality research performed in extreme environments have contributed to our knowledge of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and aging processes to promote everyday health for everyday people with a look ahead to some of the exciting challenges in the commercial space realm.

Speakers:

• Bruce Johnson – High Altitude Physiology and the Aging Adult
• Michael Harrison
• Natalie Hirsch – Physical Reconditioning after Long Duration Space Flight

Wednesday, November 2, 2022
6:30 – 7:00 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A+B

Wednesday, November 2, 2022
7:00 – 7:45 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A+B

Back to the Future: moving forward by looking back

Consistent with Dr. John Sutton’s adventure-seeking and iconoclastic abilities and personality, this presentation will chronicle my quest to understand temporal trends in movement behaviours through a variety of time-travel techniques. This presentation will take us on an anthropological journey to try and understand the catalysts, enablers and accelerators of lifestyle transitions that have culminated in modern living. We will visit Old Order Amish and Mennonites, sub-Saharan Africa, countries from around the world, and sci-fi simulations.

Our changing world is changing us, in few ways more evident than how we move. Globally, immigration and urbanization movements are transforming people’s lives. The electronic revolution has fundamentally transformed our movement patterns by changing where and how we live, learn, work, play and travel, progressively isolating people indoors (e.g., houses, schools, workplaces, vehicles) most often in chairs. At an individual level, we are sleeping less, sitting more, walking infrequently, driving regularly and getting less physical activity. We are moving from one country to another, from rural to urban areas, from outdoors to indoors, from standing to sitting, from walking to driving, from active play to digital play, from three dimensional to two dimensional interactions, and at a macro-level countries are moving through epidemiologic and economic transitions at varying rates. These exposomal changes in our macro-, meso- and micro-movement behaviours, patterns and contexts may have profound though poorly understood impacts on human health. How such impact varies spatially, temporally, culturally, or by indices of country human development can provide fascinating insights and provide a model for time-travel – essentially moving forward by looking back.

Global patterns of disease are transitioning from predominantly communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) commensurate with the epidemiologic transition. The influence of the exposome on this global shift in morbidity and mortality has prompted rethinking of terminology and it has been recommended that NCDs be more appropriately termed socially transmitted conditions (STCs – that bind NCDs together using their common upstream drivers). Movement characteristics at macro-, meso-, and micro-levels feature prominently in the etiology of STCs, consistent with both research evidence and intuition. For example, physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for death worldwide. Transitions and evolutions (e.g., across strata of human development, geospatial shifts, community design, automation, mechanization, digitization) unintentionally conspire to transform our movement behaviours, adversely impacting our habitual sleep, sedentary and physical activity behaviours. This reality threatens progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as outlined in the Bangkok Declaration on Physical Activity for Global Health and Sustainable Development, the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity, and Canada’s Common Vision for Increasing Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Living.

Globally, physical inactivity is associated with 5.3 million deaths a year, and $53.8 B in health care costs. A greater understanding of the societal forces and individual behaviours, determinants and intrinsic factors that are associated with large-scale shifts in human movement patterns will help identify intervention strategies at the macro-, meso-, micro-levels that can address this significant, expanding and progressing public health burden. The field of movement behaviour epidemiology (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, combined compositional analyses) is in its relative infancy but may be the key to get back to the future. Fasten your seatbelts for 1.21 Gigawatts of adventure!

Speakers:

• Mark Tremblay – Back to the Future: moving forward by looking back

Thursday, November 3, 2022
9:00 – 10:15 am ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A+B

Exercise biology: movement, muscle, and molecules.

Speakers:

• Vladimir Ljubicic

Thursday, November 3, 2022
10:30 am – 12:00 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A

The purpose of the proposed session is to discuss, appraise and interpret the latest research regarding the application of interval training to enhance health and fitness, by focusing on selected areas in which the four presenters have relevant expertise. Randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses have shown that interval training can elicit responses that are similar, or superior, to those elicited by traditional moderate-intensity continuous exercise as reflected in public health guidelines. These effects are often seen despite a reduced time commitment. There is considerable debate, however, regarding the potential ‘real world’ effectiveness of interval training, including concerns related to feasibility, efficacy, safety and adherence, in both healthy individuals and those at risk for or afflicted by cardiometabolic diseases. The objectives are: (1) to consider the effect of interval training on cardiorespiratory fitness and other health related indices, including the mechanistic basis for responses, and (2) to discuss the application of interval training in specific settings, with a particular focus on women’s health and individuals with cardiovascular disease. The value lies in summarizing for attendees the latest research regarding important basic and applied/clinical aspects of interval training, and providing a forum for discussion with leading researchers in the field.

Speakers:

• 1. Chair: Martin Gibala – Interval Training and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Health and Disease
• 2. Martin MacInnis – Mechanistic Basis for Increased Oxidative Capacity After Interval Training
• 3. Maureen MacDonald – Interval Training in Cardiac Rehabilitation: Getting to the Heart of the Matter
• 4. Jennifer Reed – Novel Exercise Strategies to Enhance Women’s Health

Thursday, November 3, 2022
1:30 – 3:00 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A

The best health practitioners in their field can achieve a client’s goals in the shortest period of

time. Your clients are all unique… sort of. There is one thing they all crave, one thing that could

make a massive shift in their ability to adopt the healthy routines, exercises, and ideals that

you’ve been preaching – they want consistent and sustained energy! Decades of too much

sitting, of being under slept, of excessive stress, of poor dietary and lifestyle choices, of

managing an unmanageable to-do list, etc. has compounded and drastically lowered their

energy baseline.

This discussion will guide you through the most probable causes of energy loss and stagnation,

as well as on the actionable steps that can be taken to raise their baseline energy level. You’ll

also learn some field-based methods to evaluate the level of exhaustion your clients are

experiencing. This knowledge may enhance healthy-habit adoption and retention, which will

translate into faster and more sustainable results.

Additionally, this 90-minute, evidence-based workshop, is constructed to focus on the unique

impact of mental health on the achievement of a client’s health-related goals.

Session Chair: Said Mekary

Speakers:

• Joseph Gibbons – Improving Your Energy Baseline

Thursday, November 3, 2022
3:15 – 4:45 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A

The purpose of this symposium is to examine human performance research from the lab to the field. This will include insight from more tried- and tested approaches that have passed the test of time, into new training methodologies and the application and interpretation of technology driven data, ranging from specific physiological signals to ”big data”.

Speakers:

• Chair: Jamie Burr – Squeezing out the last 1%. How intentional blood flow restriction might help human performance
• Alexandra Coates – Getting the most out of the individual athlete: Training considerations and monitoring for elite performance
• Ira Jacobs – Exercise Physiology Across the R&D Spectrum to Sustain or Augment Performance and Survival During Severe Disruptions to Homeostasis
• Neil M. Johannsen – Utilizing Technology To Understand Physical Loads and Performance Outcomes: Harnessing the Power of Big Data

Friday, November 4, 2022
9:00 – 10:15 am ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A+B

Despite a plethora of evidence on the benefits of physical activity, one of the biggest challenges facing population health is the translation of evidence into community programming. Addressing this knowledge to practice gap may be a particularly effective strategy to support physical activity for clinical sub-populations facing increased barriers to physical activity.

 

Using the career and work of Dr. Audrey Hicks, I will present a case study of knowledge translation of exercise science research for people with spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. This research spans exercise trails on the benefits of physical activity, the development and evaluation of population specific guidelines, to the creation and ongoing sustainability of specialized community programs.

 

Speakers:

• Chair: Chelsea Pelletier – Wheeling from the lab to community: exercise science knowledge translation for people with physical disabilities

Friday, November 4, 2022
10:30 am – 12:00 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A
Female athletes, coaches and scientists have long wondered if menstrual cycle phase and/or hormonal contraceptive use might impact athletic performance, through alterations in body temperature regulation, energy/fuel sources or cardiovascular or respiratory parameters. Following puberty, females are at greater risk of developing asthma than males. There is a documented link between female sex steroids and airway function, referred to as peri-menstrual asthma, premenstrual asthma (PMA), or menstrual-linked asthma (MLA). This is defined as cyclical deterioration of asthma during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and/or during the first days of menstruation. MLA has been identified as a more burdensome and severe asthma phenotype, independent of the presence or absence of allergies. Studies in Western industrialized countries suggest an overall prevalence between 30-40%. The effect(s) of hormonal fluctuations – both endogenous (over the course of an ovulatory menstrual cycle) and exogenous (in hormonal contraceptives) in asthma may involve several mechanisms. The multifactorial etiology has important implications for screening, as well as for management and pharmacotherapy. Perimenstrual asthma is thus both a gynecological and pulmonological clinical problem. Unfortunately, research on this entity is limited. This workshop will review what is currently known about MLA and explore strategies for detection, monitoring and management. We will provide an update on this topic with the latest clinical and research information.

Speakers:

• Chair: Constance Lebrun – Introduction: Can reproductive hormones affect performance?
• Constance Lebrun – Menstrual-linked asthma (MLA) – fact or fiction?
• Constance Lebrun – “Screening and preventative interventions” and “Directions for future research” (with Patricia Doyle-Baker)
• Patricia Doyle-Baker – Understanding variability in menstrual cycle length

Friday, November 4, 2022
12:00 – 1:15 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A+B

Resilience in Research: Overcoming Obstacles, Balancing Opportunities, and Tackling Imposter Syndrome

Speakers:

• Chair: Brad Currier
• Chair: Jennifer Williams
• Alexandra Coates
• Geneviève Lalonde
• Keely Shaw

Friday, November 4, 2022
1:30 – 3:00 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A

Numerous studies demonstrating the benefits of exercise interventions have been performed in elderly with chronic disease in the community or research settings. Nevertheless, because half of the hospitalized population is over 65 years of age and the percentage of older adults living in long-term care facilities is increasing, studies investigating the feasibility of exercise interventions in hospital and outpatient service settings, or long-term facilities are growing. Knowing that older adults in these settings are at higher risk of functional decline, and thus loss of independence, the benefits of exercise interventions and the role of exercise specialists should get more attention. The objective of this symposium is to demonstrate the feasibility, the relevance, but also the challenges in implementing different exercise interventions in outpatient services, hospital settings and long-term care facilities. Furthermore, special considerations regarding the implementation of such non-pharmacological treatments and their effects on functional capacity, risk of falls, metabolic health, cognition and clinical outcomes such as depressive symptoms and quality of life will be discussed. Examples from successful interventions in older adults with chronic conditions will be presented.

Speakers:

• Éléonore Riesco – Exercise as a non-pharmacological treatment of chronic conditions : effect on metabolic health and medical outcomes in chronic diseases
• Éléonore Riesco – From research lab to bedside: Application of physical activity for inpatient frail older adults
• Isabelle Dionne – Decline in functional capacity during hospitalisation and consequences: the impact of exercise programs
• Mathieu Maltais – Effect of exercise in people with dementia living in long-term care facilities on the risk of falls, mortality and hospitalisation

Panel Diversity Statement:

Dr. Isabelle Dionne is an exercise physiologist who co-hold the Research Chair for healthy aging. She has led several studies in aging and exercise sciences. She is currently leading the SAFE study which aims at understanding how immobilization can be counteracted by exercise.

Dr. Mathieu Maltais is an exercise physiologist with expertise in aging, falls, and cognitive decline. He has published several scientific articles demonstrating how exercise can be used to reduce hospitalization and mortality in the context of dementia.

Friday, November 4, 2022
3:15 – 4:45 pm ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A

Availability of data, advances in analytical approaches, and improvements in measurement methods have enabled our understanding of the specificity of physical activity behaviors to increase tremendously in recent years. This symposium will be an opportunity to learn about unique epidemiological studies that have contributed to improving our knowledge of the particularities of physical activity participation throughout the lifecourse. In particular, this symposium will be a time to : 1) hear about three unique cohort studies on physical activity that include over 20 survey cycles each; 2) learn about novel applications of advanced statistical approaches to address the challenges of longitudinal datasets with multiple data collection points; and 3) discussing step-based approaches for monitoring physical activity which allow characterizing the multifaceted components of physical activity. This will be an opportunity to reflect on progress made and to imagine the future of physical activity epidemiology.

Speakers:

• Chair: Danielle Bouchard
• Catrine Tudor-Locke – Re-imagining Physical Activity Guidelines using Practical Metrics Common to Most Wearable Technologies
• Jeff Hebert – Physical activity behaviour, health, and injury: lessons from a Danish longitudinal study of primary school students
• Mathieu Bélanger – What we have learned from two unique longitudinal studies on physical activity in Canada

Saturday, November 5, 2022
9:00 – 10:15 am ADT
Point Sainte-Anne A+B

In exercise and sports competition, recovery from the associated stress is paramount for subsequent training or competition.  The proverbial chase for understanding the processes as well as interventions to enhance this phenomenon has been the goal of research for over a half century. It has become well known that recovery is highly dependent upon the mechanisms that create a highly specific ”fingerprint” of the ”stressor” involving its disruption of structural and bioenergetic elements in the human organism.   From neurological to morphological aspects, exercise and competitive stress presents a wide array of differential effects that can vary due to gender, training level, and genetics. Interventions including, training progressions, behavioral changes, nutritional, mechanical and neurological approaches have been studied to illuminate strategies for enhancing the recovery processes.  This has provided today’s world of sports and exercise scientists even greater complexity in examining how to use this array of recovery technologies or ”tools” when working with different populations of fitness enthusiasts and athletes. The use of multiple approaches and individualized needs have further complicated decision making procuresses.  This lecture will take a look at this world of recovery physiology and some of the many decisions exercise and sports science professionals now have to consider when looking at this important area of practice in exercise and sports science.  

Speakers:

• William J Kraemer – Exercise Recovery: Mechanisms, Technology and Interventions