March 13, 2015 - Faculty and students from the Department of Sports Medicine and the Department of Athletic Training at King’s College will begin an extensive non-invasive health study of Wyoming Valley men and women between the ages of 30 and 60 in March and are seeking interested participants.

The Health and Wellness at King’s College (HAWK) study will be conducted by providing a comprehensive health, cardiovascular, muscular, and orthopedic screening to at least 275 Wyoming Valley adults.  The goal of the study will be to provide suggestions based on screening results that will enable participants to prevent or ease the effect of chronic health problems, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and joint or back pain.

The study is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, March 10.  On-campus sessions will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 – 8 p.m.  A maximum of six individuals can participate in each session.  People who meet age and residency requirements who are interested in participating in the study can e-mail health.wellness@kings.edu for further information.

Participants will be asked to complete a physical, mental and behavioral health history questionnaire at the beginning of each session. They will then be screened by King’s College exercise science and athletic training students under the supervision of faculty from both departments for exercise readiness, body composition, blood pressure, bone density, orthopedic, upper and lower body strength, strength endurance, resting EKG, and an exercise stress test.

Each participant will be mailed a confidential comprehensive report containing all their results following their session. 

“The HAWK study is a perfect opportunity for King’s College students and faculty to do a legitimate health research study while also performing a public service,” said Dr. Jan Kretzschmar, assistant professor of exercise science, and coordinator for the study.  “The College was able to purchase additional equipment needed for the study from a combination of proceeds of a gift from a private foundation and College funds.  The faculty and students from both departments are donating their time and talents for the benefit of the individuals involved in the study.  The study results will be analyzed for common risk factors found among the participants and will be sent to academic publications for consideration.”