The Rick Hoyt Research Lab was created to conduct projects that revolve around improving fitness and reducing secondary health conditions for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities.

Interested in collaborating?

VO2 Max Testing

VO2 Max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption that can be attained during intense exercise. The measurement requires that the subject breathe into an oxygen consumption analyzer during a maximum effort (usually on a treadmill or bicycle) as part of a graded exercise protocol. There are specific physiological markers (AeT, AT) that can be detected throughout the test as oxygen consumption is measured.

VALD Performance

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Presentations and Publications

Two authors stand in front of the poster for their research publication on the efficacy of strength and conditioning on body composition for a group of individuals with Cerebral Palsy.
This is a screenshot of a poster for a student's doctoral capstone project titled "Backyard Sports for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy: Bridging the Gap"

Accepted and Approved for Publication

  • Observations of Fitness Following 8-Weeks of Strength Training in Participants with Cerebral Palsy - Read Here

  • The Effects of BFR on Skeletal Muscle Mass and Functional Outcomes in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy - Journal of Neurological Physical Therapy

Poster Presentation

  • Making Backyard Games Accessible for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy (Summer/Fall 2021 - Site and project mentor for Dennis Peary’s Doctoral Capstone, Tufts University)

  • Training Strategies for Clients Post-Stroke (Spring/Summer 2022 - Project mentor for Haley Lawlow’s Doctoral Capstone, Boston University)

  • APTA CSM 2023 - The Effects of BFR on Skeletal Muscle Mass and Functional Outcomes in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy (Spring/Summer 2022)

Presentations

ASICS International Day of Persons with Disabilities - Theories and Frameworks for Making Endurance Sports Accessible (December, 2023)

Fallon Health Grand Rounds - Fundamentals and Theories of Making Fitness Accessible (November, 2023)

RaceMania - Making Endurance Sports Accessible (March, 2023)

UMass Lowell Exercise Science - Programming Considerations for Adaptive Athletes (June, 2022)

AdaptX University Forum - Promoting Inclusion in Campus Recreation and Fitness (April, 2022)

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Programming Considerations for Adaptive Athletes (March and May, 2022)

UMass Boston Adapted Physical Activity Course - Making Fitness Accessible (March, 2022)

National Inclusion Project Power of Play Conference - Making Fitness and Recreation Accessible for Individuals with Disabilities (November 2021)

APTA 2021 Regional Conference - The Intersection of Physical Therapy, Adaptive Sports, and Strength and Conditioning (November 2021)

InBody Clinical Research - The Use of InBody Data to Improve the Health and Fitness of Individuals with Cerebral Palsy (September 2021)

TJX Corporations - Making Fitness Accessible (May 2021)

American Physical Therapy Association - The Intersection of Physical Therapy, Adaptive Sports, and Inclusive Fitness (March 2021)

Bentley University - Creating Mission-Driven Businesses (2018-2020)

UMass Lowell - Creating a Comprehensive S&C Program for Individuals with Down Syndrome

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Programming Considerations for Adaptive Athletes

2017 Connecticut Down Syndrome Congress Conference - Improving the Health and Performance of Individuals with Down Syndrome

2019 NEACSM Conference - Observations of Fitness Prior to and Following 8 Weeks of Strength Training in Participants with Cerebral Palsy

RaceMania Expo - Making Endurance Sports More Inclusive

LuMind Virtual Webinar - Improving the Health and Performance of Individuals with Down Syndrome

Special Olympics MA - Incorporating Strength and Conditioning into the Special Olympic Practice