Community Resources and Opportunities

Measuring Balance Deficits in Chronic Inflammatory Demeylinating polyneuropathy (CIPD)

We would like to invite you to participate in a study investigating if balance is altered by chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).

CIDP is an autoimmune condition, characterized by dramatic muscle weakness and loss of sensation in the arms and legs. Individuals with CIDP often experience instability and poor balance due to weakness and numbness, yet few studies have examined which aspects of balance control are compromised in these patients.

We are looking for men and women over 40 years of age. To be eligible, you must have no physical or cognitive impairments that may influence balance.
As a participant, you will be asked to commit to two 2-hour testing sessions, during which you will be asked to complete several balance tasks. Detailed recordings of how your nerves, muscles, and body respond during these tasks will be taken.

Your participation will help to determine how balance is affected by CIDP. Knowledge gained from this study will help clinicians identify balance deficits in CIDP, which can be used to inform treatment and develop interventions to reduce fall risk among this population.

If you are interested or have any questions about this study, please contact us by email (Heather; heather.pudwell@ubc.ca) or by phone (604 827-3482). Please click here to view the recruitment letter.

Impact of Traffic-Related Air Pollution on the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Response to Physical Activity in Patients with Hypertension

The UBC Exercise Physiology Laboratory seeks to understand whether air pollution can interfere with the health benefits of exercise in patients with high blood pressure.

They are recruiting adults aged 40-70 who are currently taking blood pressure medication, or have been diagnosed with elevated or high blood pressure. Eligible patients will attend three visits (total of 8 hours). During two visits, participants will briskly walk for 30 minutes. Heart, blood vessel, and lung health will then be monitored for up to 24 hours. *Participants will be compensated for their time.

If you're interested in participating, contact Andy Hung at kin.epl@ubc.ca. For more details, click here.

Age-related Differences in How Skeletal Muscle Responds to Lower-Body Exercise 

The University of British Columbia, Exercise Metabolism Research Group is seeking males and females ages 19-30 and 65-85 for a study assessing age-related differences in how skeletal muscle responds to a single bout of resistance exercise (lower body weightlifting).

There will be three lab visits that will include:

-       Maximal fitness testing

-       A single bout of resistance exercise (lower body weightlifting)

-       Muscle biopsies and blood samples

Participants should not currently be involved in any structured resistance or aerobic training in which they participate for more than two hours per week. The total time commitment is approximately 11 hours and participants will be compensated for their time. If you are interested in participating, please send an email to allyson.schweitzer@ubc.ca to schedule a telephone call to determine your eligibility. You are welcome to message any questions you have regarding the study to this email as well.