Human Performance Lab

The health and fitness assessments offered through the HPL can assist individuals reach their athletic potential or understand their risk of developing chronic medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes.  Many such conditions can be more effectively prevented, managed or even reversed with detailed physical assessments and appropriate pre-emptive actions. Through detailed assessments and direction, HPL staff can provide individuals with a path toward optimum health and aging.

Mission

To assess, evaluate, and disseminate knowledge of human performance as it relates to health, wellness, physical fitness, and athletic ability through education, research, and service.

Vision

The HPL is a teaching laboratory that provides assessments of health and physical fitness to the faculty, staff, and students of Saint Francis University and residents of the surrounding communities through proficient skills attained by Professionally Certified Exercise Physiology Faculty and undergraduate Exercise Physiology students.

Facilities/Equipment

We offer access to equipment & technology not found at any other location in this region, including: 

• A BOD POD, an egg-shaped module used by hospitals and research centers world-wide to measure total body fat and lean body mass, and estimate resting energy expenditure.
• A Cardiovascular-Metabolic system that can analyze the exercise capacity, energy expenditure, and risk of developing chronic disease for any individual.
• An Anaerobic Testing Cycle Ergometer that is capable of testing your sprinting ability, your fatigue resistance, and estimates your muscle fiber type distribution.
• A Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer that evaluates specific deficiencies in strength in all the major muscle groups of the body, comparing one side to the other through varying speeds of resistance.
• A Motion Analysis system that provides a detailed evaluation of human movement by showing how each joint moves, the timing and coordination of your muscles, and the forces that affect movement.
• A NeuroCom Dynamic Posturography unit that analyzes the reasons for a balance problem and provides useful information in diagnosing the reasons for lack of balance or a tendency to fall.  This equipment is commonly used for assessing concussions and return-to-play status in athletes or fall risk

To schedule your assessment(s):

• Assessments are conducted by appointment only.

• Complete the following online forms: Contact Information Form and Physical Activity Questionnaire.

  • Once we receive confirmation of completed forms we will contact you to schedule your appointment and notify you of the pretesting instructions to follow for the most accurate results.

• If you are interested in an assessment or package that involves exercise, we will need to ask you questions about your health history.  The questions we will be asking are from the PAR-Q+ and can be found here: https://eparmedx.com.

  • Based on your responses, you may need medical clearance from your Primary Care Physician (PCP) before participating in any assessments involving exercise. If this is required, you will be notified.

• Please consider the pre-testing instructions specific to each assessment when scheduling.

• Please notify us via phone or email no later than 24 hours prior to your scheduled assessment if you would like to change, reschedule, or cancel your assessment(s). 

• Payment type accepted: cash, check, most major credit cards.

Who should use the HPL?

The HPL's services are relevant to anyone who wants to operate at their physical best, regardless of their age or vocation. Examples of individuals who would benefit from these services include:

Individuals wishing to:

• Athletes who want to train more specifically to their sport and reach their full performance potential
• Individuals preparing to begin a new fitness regimen or increase their workout intensity

What can I expect with each assessment?

A detailed overview of your results including:

• What they mean for you personally
• How you compare to others of the same age and sex
• An individualized prescription designed specifically for you to improve your results

How much does it cost?

• We offer the most affordable pricing for these types of assessments in Pennsylvania.  You can expect to pay 3 – 10 times more anywhere else for the same types of testing we offer.  Please see the assessment fee chart for pricing.

• There is a discount for repeat testing.

Why is it so affordable?

We keep the cost low for two reasons:

1. We want to serve the community and help as many as possible to live healthier and have a higher quality of life.
2. We are a teaching laboratory and want to give our students more experience.  This does not mean you will receive low quality service. You will be extremely satisfied with the amount of information you are provided about your results and how to improve them!  

How do I pay?

• We accept all major forms of payment

• Evening and Saturday testing is exact cash or check only.

Where do I park?

•   HPL Directions and Parking

Who will be administering the tests?

• We are a teaching laboratory.  Therefore, all testing is conducted by upper level Exercise Physiology and graduate students from Saint Francis University and supervised by a Certified Exercise Physiology Faculty member.

Dr. Wisniewski is the Assistant Director of the Human Performance Laboratory and an Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology at Saint Francis University. He earned his BS degree in Exercise Science from Slippery Rock University, and MS degree in Health, Physical Activity, and Chronic Disease, and a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Wisniewski specializes in using exercise as a form of medicine to prevent and treat various cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and cancers.  His expertise also encompasses helping athletes, specifically those in endurance sports, to achieve their performance potential. His research focuses on how individuals perceive and regulate the optimal exercise training intensities to counter disease and improve endurance performance. He is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Clinical Exercise Physiology Association (CEPA), and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He is an ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist and ACSM/American Cancer Society Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer, ACSM Exercise is Medicine Level 3 credential, NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and a Registered Bod Pod User.

Why test Body Composition? 

• Determine the amount of water, fat, and lean tissue in your body.
• Evaluate your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and metabolic diseases.
• Estimate how many calories you should eat to reach your target weight.
• Determine safe and effective body weight goals.

• Approximately 30 minutes total:
  • Preparation: 5 minutes
  • Testing: sitting in Bod Pod while wearing minimal tight fitting clothing for 2-3 trials, 30 seconds per trial
  • Debriefing of information: up to 25 minutes

Assessment Fee Chart

We can transport the Bod Pod to your facility and offer testing for your employees, clients, or patients.

Contact us today to receive a quote.

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Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

Why test your RMR?

• Determine exactly how many calories your body burns at rest, how stable it is, and whether you primarily burn carbs or fats.
  • This can help you achieve your personal goals, whether it’s to lose fat, gain muscle, or both.
• You will be given a detailed print out of your results that you can share with your doctor or endocrinologist!

How long would this assessment last?

Approximately 1 hour

• Preparation: 5 minutes
• Testing: approximately 20 minutes
• Debriefing of information: up to 30 minutes

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Aerobic Fitness

Why test your exercise metabolism?

• Determine your Aerobic Threshold or Metabolic Efficiency (MetE), the intensity you should train at to help your body adapt to burning more fat and build an endurance base before starting higher intensity training.
  • Ideal for anyone who is interested in improving endurance race performance or reducing risk of chronic disease.
• Determine how much you should eat during a long duration event to maintain your pace.
• Determine your Anaerobic Threshold, the minimum intensity you should train at to increase your overall fitness.
  • Also known as Lactate or Ventilatory Threshold
• Determine your VO2max, the Gold standard for evaluating aerobic fitness level and your risk of developing chronic disease
  • Higher Fitness = Less Risk

How long would this assessment last?

Approximately 1 hour:

• Preparation: 10 minutes
• Testing: 30 minute to 1 hour, but is solely dependent on your ability
• Debriefing of information: up to 30 minutes  

Assessment Fee Chart

Package Includes:

• Bod Pod
• Aerobic Fitness
• Muscular Fitness and Flexibility
• Individualized Training Plan Based on Testing Results

How long would this assessment last?

• Approximately 2 hours total
  • Preparation: 5 minutes
  • Testing: 1.5 hours, but is solely dependent on your ability
  • Debriefing of information: 25 minutes 

Assessment Fee Chart

Package Includes:

• Bod Pod
• Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)
• Aerobic Fitness
• Individualized Plan Based on Testing Results

Why test?

• Our body weight can be broken down into two major categories, what we put into our body (diet) and what we do with it (physical activity/exercise).  This package is designed to help guide you on the right path towards your personal weight goal. We will discuss the importance of understanding your body composition, rather than just looking at weight and how to improve it.  We combine the science of how your body works with what simple things can you do in your lifestyle to achieve your personal goals!

  • Please see respective tabs above explaining each individual assessment.

How long would this assessment last?

• Approximately 2 hours total
  • Preparation: 5 minutes
  • Testing: 1.5 hours, but is solely dependent on your ability
  • Debriefing of information: 25 minutes
    
    
  Assessment Fee Chart

Run or Cycle Race Prep Package Includes:

• Bod Pod
• Aerobic Fitness
  • Either on Treadmill or Cycle
• Race Specific Muscular Fitness & Flexibility
• Functional Movement Assessment
• Individualized Training Plan Based on Testing Results

How long would this assessment last?

• Approximately 2 hours total
  • Preparation: 5 minutes
  • Testing: 1.5 hours, but is solely dependent on your ability
  • Debriefing of information: 25 minutes

Triathlon Prep Package (2 days) Package Includes:

• Day 1:
  • Bod Pod
  • Treadmill Aerobic Fitness
  • Race Specific Muscular Fitness & Flexibility
  • Functional Movement Assessment
    
    
• Day 2
  • Cycle Aerobic Fitness
  • Individualized Training Plan Based on Testing Results

How long would this assessment last?

• Day 1:
  • Approximately 2 hours total:
    • Preparation: 5 minutes
    • Testing: 1 hour, but is solely dependent on your ability
• Day 2:
  • Approximately 1.5 hours total
    • Preparation: 5 minutes
    • Testing: 1 hour, but is solely dependent on your ability
    • Debriefing of information: up to 25 minutes

Assessment Fee Chart

Package Includes:

• Various tests specific to your sport.  
• We can conduct most combine assessments for all major sports using the same high-tech equipment. Contact us to learn more.
• Comparison of your results to national scores.

How long would this assessment last?

• Approximately 2 hours total:
  • Preparation: 5 minutes
  • Testing: 1.5 hours, but is solely dependent on your ability
  • Debriefing of information: 25 minutes

Testing includes:

• Body composition
• Lower Body Muscular Power and Strength
• Functional Movement Assessment
• Individualized training plan to target any imbalances and reduce your risk of ACL injury or re-injury

If you have suffered a previous ACL injury, you must be cleared for Return to Sport by your physician and have completed Physical Therapy prior to your assessment.

Why test?

• Most ACL injuries are non-contact
  • Rate of ACL injury occurrence is higher in female athletes compared to males when participating in sports that involve cutting, jumping/landing, and/or pivoting.
• Time lost from an ACL injury can be > 6 months.
• Additional risks associated with ACL injury:
  • Mood changes
  • Increased risks of another injury or chronic illness
• Some risk factors associated with ACL injury are modifiable
  • Muscular strength around the knee
  • Proper landing and cutting mechanic
  • Low Functional Movement Assessment scores
• Training to specifically target these areas may reduce the risk of non-contact ACL injury.
  • Research has shown that those with previous injury are at a 4x greater risk of re-injury if imbalances aren't fixed before returning to sport.

How long would this assessment last?

• Approximately 1 hour total:
  • Preparation: 5 minutes
  • Testing:  30 minutes, but is solely dependent on your ability
  • Debriefing of information: 25 minutes

Assessment Fee Chart

Detailed Monthly Exercise Plan

Each assessment comes with a general exercise plan based on your individual results.  This Add on to any assessment or package provides you with a weekly individualized aerobic, resistance and flexibility training plan to help you reach your personal fitness goals.

Supervised Exercise Training

Receive one-on-one personal training from the HPL staff in the DiSepio Institute for Rural Health & Wellness Fitness Center.  Recommended for anyone beginning a new exercise program or who just wants some help with how to use the machines correctly.

*Requires DiSepio Fitness Center membership visit francis.edu/Fitness-Center for more information on membership pricing.

Forming Lifelong Adherence for Sustainable Health (FLASH) Wellness Program

Receive one-on-one lifestyle behavior change counseling.  You will meet (via phone or face-to-face) with HPL staff weekly for the first month, and biweekly thereafter who will help you adopt a healthier lifestyle to achieve your personal health goals.  These types of programs are the most successful for losing weight and keeping it off long-term while also reducing your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

This program includes Bod Pod testing every 3 months to show your progress.

View/download the summer conditioning camp brochure for details.

Registration is closed for the summer 2021 camp.  Please check back in spring 2022.