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Brandi Row Lazzarini

Associate Professor of Exercise and Health Science
Specialties: Biomechanics, Aging, Functional Anatomy

Headshot of Brandi Row Lazzarini

Contact Information

Salem Campus

Address
Collins 405
900 State Street
Salem  Oregon  97301
U.S.A.
Phone
(503) 370-6423
(503) 370-6773 (Fax)

Biography

Joining the faculty at Willamette University in Fall 2012 represented coming full-circle for me, since I graduated from Willamette in 1996.  I teach classes in Biomechanics, Aging, Functional Anatomy, and Motor Control and Learning.  I prioritize hands-on activities in my courses, ranging from data collections and analysis in Biomechanics class, functional assessments with senior citizen volunteers from the community in my aging class, and gaining hands-on anatomical kinesiology skills in our Clinical Healthcare class.  I regularly collaborate with students in my research program, which gains them experience working independently and on a research team.  I offer various levels of student involvement, ranging from literature review, study design, data collection, statistical analysis, writing computer programs in Matlab to analyze results, preparing presentations and manuscripts for publication, being an author on presentations and published manuscripts, and even serving as first author.  In addition to my usual faculty role in teaching and research, I also began serving as a Faculty Athletics Representative in Fall 2018, which is also something of a full-circle for me, since I was a student-athlete at Willamette, as well.  One of my main objectives in this role is to support student-athletes as they navigate Willamette’s college campus, given the high academic expectations. 

Prior to returning to Willamette University (my alma mater), I was on faculty at Western Washington University (2006-12), and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship (2003-6), at the Center for Studies in Aging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and the Health Care, Technology, and Place Interdisciplinary Program, University of Toronto, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Education

  • 2003 Ph.D. Biomechanics/Kinesiology, minor in Gerontology, The Pennsylvania State University
  • 1999 M.S. Exercise and Movement Science, University of Oregon
  • 1996 B.A. Biology, minor in Spanish, Willamette University

Courses

Professor Row Lazzarini is instructor of record for the following courses: Biomechanics (EXSCI 347), Motor Learning and Motor Control (EXSCI 357), and Anatomical Kinesiology content in Clinical Healthcare, Theory and Application lab (EXSCI 340Y). She also teaches Special Topics in Exercise and Health Science (EXSCI 358: Aging, Health, and Functional Assessment), and contributes to the Senior Seminar (EXSCI 496), and has taught Research Design (EXSCI 356W), and College Colloquium (IDS 101).

Research

My main research interests are in the areas of biomechanics of aging and exercise interventions for older adults. Specifically, my research activities examine:

  • the development of clinically-feasible functional assessments of rapid stepping performance, weight-shifting ability, and rhythmicity for older adults,
  • gait smoothness, calculated as the harmonic ratio from trunk accelerations, and walking rhythmicity (variability of stride time) of older adults,
  • high-velocity resistance training interventions for the improvement of muscle power and strength in seniors, including methods to make this style of training more accessible without the need for strength testing.

Publications (* student collaborator)

Recent Presentations (* student collaborator)

  • Row Lazzarini, B., *Beymer, J., *Ramos-Torres, E., *Hannigan-Luther, S. Performance Stabilizes during a 20-Second Test of Rapid Medial-Lateral Weight-Shifting Function in Older Adults. Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, San Diego, CA, June 2022.
  • DeVita, P., Aeles, J., Row Lazzarini, B., Darkenwald, T., Zaferiou, A., Landry, S. Why I Participate in National Biomechanics Day. ePoster presentation at the Virtual American Society of Biomechanics, August 12, 2021.
  • Row Lazzarini, B., and *Hannigan-Luther, S. Inter-Rater Reliability of Three Rapid Stepping Tests for Use in Functional Assessment of Older Adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Volume 52:5 Supplement. (Note: The presentation became an ePoster due to the cancellation of the May 2020 conference meeting in San Francisco, CA, due to the 2020 global pandemic.)
  • *Russo, L., and Row Lazzarini, B. Dynamic Knee Valgus: Effect of Warm-up Duration on Female Soccer Players. Presented by L. Russo at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, San Diego, CA, May 2015.
  • Row Lazzarini, B., *Ruwitch, M.M., *Kataras, T.K., Can Trunk Acceleration Measures During a Simple Medial-Lateral Step Test Predict Gait Smoothness in Seniors? Presented by B. Row Lazzarini at the American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, May 2014.
  • *Ruwitch, M.M., *Kataras, T.K., Row Lazzarini, B. Development of stepping test that challenges medial-lateral control in older adults. Presented by M. Ruwitch at the American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, May 2014.
  • *Kataras, T.K., *Ruwitch, M.M., Row Lazzarini, B. Treadmill walking is problematic for the study of gait smoothness in older adults. Presented by B. Row Lazzarini at the World Congress of Biomechanics, Boston, MA, July 2014.
  • *Wise, Z., Row, B.S.; The Effects of Whole Body Vibration on Knee Electromyography and Kinematics of Single-Leg Landings Among Female Athletes. Presented by Z. Wise at the annual meeting of the Northwest Biomechanics Symposium, regional chapter of the American Biomechanics Society, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, June 2013.
  • Row, B.S., *Dropp, M., *Lloyd, W. Regulating Upper Extremity Explosive Resistance Training for Older Adults using the RPE. Presented by B.S. Row at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, May 2013; Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 45(5 Supplement):S318.
  • *Tupper, K.J., and Row, B.S. Is Four Weeks Enough To Improve Balance And Mobility Function Of Older Adults Who Are Already Physically Active? Poster presented by K. Tupper at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, San Francisco, CA, June 2012.
  • Row, B.S. and *Tupper, K.J. Accelerometry methods reveal improvements in frontal plane stability after only four-weeks of balance and mobility training. Presented by B. Row at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, San Francisco, CA, June 2012.
  • Brilla, L.B., Row, B.S., and Knutzen, K.M. Effect of Creatine Magnesium Supplementation on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Presented by L. Brilla at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Denver, CO, June 2011.
  • *Hahn Kaufman, T.J., Brilla, L.R., Row, B.S., and Knutzen, K.M. Effect Inspiratory Muscle Training and Core Exercise Training on Core Functional Tests. Presented by L Brilla at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Baltimore, MD, June 2010.
  • Row, B.S., and Knutzen, K. Resistance training elicits more robust trunk acceleration and orientation during walking in adults with diabetes. Presented by B. Row at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Baltimore, MD, June 2010.
  • Knutzen, K.M., Brilla, L.R., Row, B.S., Li, Y., Freeman, J., and Lindsey, B. Effect of high resistance weight training on reported pain in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes. Presented by K. Knutzen at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Baltimore, MD, June 2010.
  • *Newton, C.Q., Row, B.S., Knutzen, K.M., *Dudley, J., *Landis, K., and Brilla, L.R. Examination of creatine-magnesium chelate and alkaline creatine compound supplementations on knee extensor torque measurements. Presented by C. Newton at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Baltimore, MD, June 2010.
  • Brilla, L.R., *Schwerdtfeger, K., Knutzen, K.M., and Row, B.S. Effects of inspiratory muscle training on arterial oxygen-hemoglobin saturation in female collegiate endurance runners. Presented by K. Schwerdtfeger at the Annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Seattle, WA, May 2009.
  • *Brock, B., Knutzen, K.M., Brilla, L.R., and Row, B.S. Effects of variable velocity eccentric muscle actions on caloric expenditure and delayed onset muscle soreness. Presented by B. Brock at the Annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Seattle, WA, May 2009.
  • *Jackson, M. A., Brilla, L.R., Knutzen, K.M., and Row, B.S. Effect of Inspiratory Muscle Training on Exercise Capacity and Quality of Life in Older Adults. Presented by L. Brilla at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Seattle, WA, May 2009.
  • Row, B.S., Knutzen, K.M., Brilla, L.R., Freeman, J., Li, Y., and Lindsey, B. Poor glucose control is related to reduced balance control in adults with Type II Diabetes. Presented by B. Row at the North American Congress on Biomechanics, Ann Arbor, MI, August 2008.
  • Row, B.S., Knutzen, K.M., *Hollander, C.S., and *Roake, A. The Use of RPE with Older Adults to Identify Training Loads for High-Velocity Resistance Training. Presented by B. Row at the American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, May 2008.
  • Knutzen, K.M., *McLaughlin, W., *Lawson, A., Row, B.S., and Martin, L. Ramp Position Influences Lower Extremity Biomechanics while Exercising on the Elliptical Trainer. Presented by K. Knutzen at the American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, May 2008.
  • Li ,Y., Hill, S.W., Row, B., McIlroy, W.E., Mihailidis, A., and Fernie, G. 2007. Walking in the cold: body temperature and heart rate during North American winter. Journal of Biomechanics 40(Suppl. 2), pp. 334.
  • Row, B.S. and Fernie, G.R. The role of the environment and technology on Frailty in older adults. Presented as part of a symposium with the Canadian Initiative on Frailty and Aging at the Canadian Association of Gerontology, Halifax, NS, October 2005.
  • Row, B.S., and Cavanagh, P.R. Load-Specific Relationships between Muscular Power and Bone Mineral Density. Presented at the combined congress of the International Society of Biomechanics and the American Society of Biomechanics, Cleveland, OH, August 2005.
  • Row, B.S., *Paul, J.C., McKeever, P., and Fernie, G.R. Winter Presents Barriers to Physical and Social Activity in Functionally Impaired Older Adults. Presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2005 annual meeting, Nashville, TN, June 2005.
  • Row, B.S., Fernie, G.R., *Paul, J.C., and Maki, B.E. Stairs and Winter Weather: Barriers to Activity and Mobility for Many Older Adults. Presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2005 annual meeting, Nashville, TN, June 2005.

Professional Memberships

  • American Society of Biomechanics
  • American College of Sports Medicine
Willamette University

Exercise and Health Science

Address
Willamette University
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6894 voice
503-370-6773 fax