Breadcrumb

null Jenna Gibbs, PhD

Keywords

musculoskeletal health • exercise physiology • aging • bone metabolism • osteoporosis

Research Focus

My research focuses on optimizing body composition and bone strength across the lifespan, with the overall aim to reduce the risk of disability, falls and fractures in Canada's aging population. When we think of osteoporotic fractures, the image of a frail, inactive older adult with poor posture, weak muscles and slow walking speed often comes to mind. However, risk for osteoporosis begins to accumulate as early as childhood and fractures can occur at younger ages with inadequate nutrition, physical inactivity or high-volume physical training. My work examines the physiological and behavioural determinants of bone and muscle quality in diverse populations from healthy, younger adults and athletes to older adults with osteoporosis and individuals with diabetes. I also lead observational studies and clinical trials to study the influence of physical activity and nutrition on age- and disease-specific muscle and bone loss, functional declines, and fracture risk.

Selected Publications

Click on Pubmed to see my current publications list

  • Gibbs JC, McArthur C, Wark JD, Thabane L, Scherer SC, Prasad S, Papaioannou A, Mittmann N, Kim S, Khan A, Kendler DL, Hill KD, Cheung AM, Bleakney RR, Ashe MC, Adachi JD, Giangregororio LM. The effects of home exercise in older women with vertebral fractures: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Phys Ther. 2020 Apr 17;100(4):662-676. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzz188. PMID: 31899499.

  • Gibbs JC, McArthur C, Milligan J, Clemson L, Lee L, Boscart VM, Heckman G, Stolee P, Giangregorio LM. Measuring the Implementation of Lifestyle-Integrated Functional Exercise in Primary Care for Older Adults: Results of a Feasibility Study. Can J Aging. 2019 Apr 5:1-17. doi: 10.1017/S0714980818000739. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 30947765.

  • Gibbs JC, Giangregorio LM, Wong AKO, Josse RG, Cheung AM. Appendicular and whole body lean mass outcomes are associated with finite element analysis-derived bone strength at the distal radius and tibia in adults aged 40 years and older. Bone. 2017 Oct;103:47-54. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2017.06.006. Epub 2017 Jun 11. PMID: 28614701.

  • Gibbs JC, Macintyre NJ, Ponzano M, Templeton JA, Thabane L, Papaioannou A, Giangregorio LM. Exercise for improving outcomes after osteoporotic vertebral fracture: An update. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Jul 5;7:CD008618. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008618.pub3. PMID: 31273764.

  • Gibbs JC, Nattiv A, Barrack MT, Williams NI, Rauh MJ, Nichols JF, De Souza MJ. Low bone density risk is higher in exercising women with multiple triad risk factors. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Jan;46(1):167-76. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182a03b8b. PMID: 23783260.