Joel T.Cramer, Ph.D
Dr. Cramer is currently an Assistant Professor and Director of the Biophysics
Laboratory in the Department of Health and Exercise Science and Adjunct Assistant
Professor in Industrial Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Cramer
received
a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Creighton University in 1997
and a masters and doctorate in Exercise Physiology from the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln in 2001 and 2003, respectively, under the mentorship of
Dr. Terry J. Housh.
Dr. Cramer has conducted and published numerous studies that focus on the
noninvasive assessment of muscle function in journals such as Muscle & Nerve,
the European Journal of Applied Physiology, the Journal of Electromyography
and Kinesiology, Electromyogrpahy and Clinical Neurophysiology, the Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research, and the Journal of Neuroscience Methods.
In particular, Joel has studied the relationships among muscle force production,
surface electromyography (EMG), and mechanomyography (MMG) during isometric,
isokinetic, and dynamic constant external resistance muscle actions.
There are 3 basic areas by which we have examined the EMG and MMG signals:
- EMG and MMG amplitude and frequency responses during ramp and step isometric
muscle actions,
- the acute effects of stretching on muscle force production, EMG, and
MMG, and
- comparing different digital signal processing techniques that are
commonly used to extract information from the time and frequency domains
of the EMG and MMG signals. Understanding the patterns of response of the
EMG and MMG signals may provide information regarding the interactions between
motor unit recruitment and firing rate that are necessary to modulate skeletal
muscle force production, which may be unique for healthy young, middle-aged,
older adults, and those with neuromuscular diseases.
Joel serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research and is a regular reviewer for journals such as Medicine and Science
in Sports and Exercise and the European Journal of Applied Physiology. He also
serves on the National Strength and Conditioning Association's (NSCA)Certified
Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) Exam Development Committee and
was recently elected to the NSCA Research Committee. Dr. Cramer will also serve
as the next Secretary/Treasurer for the Central States Chapter of the ACSM
(2006 - 2008). He has attended and regularly presented at each NSCA National
Conference since 1995. Joel has also attended and presented at each American
College of Sports Medicine
(ACSM) Annual Meeting since 1999 and is a member of the International Society
of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology (ISEK). Dr. Cramer was a reviewer for
the
Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning textbook (2nd Edition, 2000),
a chapter co-author for the Essentials of Personal Training textbook (2005),
and a chapter co-author for the recent 5th Edition of the ACSM's Resource Manual
for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.
In July 2005, Dr. Cramer received the Outstanding Young Investigator of the
Year Award from the NSCA.
Dr. Cramer is currently an Assistant Professor and Director of the Biophysics
Laboratory in the Department of Health and Exercise Science and Adjunct Assistant
Professor in Industrial Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Cramer
received
a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Creighton University in 1997
and a masters and doctorate in Exercise Physiology from the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln in 2001 and 2003, respectively, under the mentorship of
Dr. Terry J. Housh.