Neurophysiology of Movement Laboratory

Enoka Lab logo

Ramaley W205
Department of Integrative Physiology
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0354
phone: 303-492-4975

Research Interests

Neuromuscular determinants of motor function (movement) in health and disease. Current projects address three main topics:

  1. Aging – identifying the adaptations responsible for the declines in sensorimotor function with advancing age
  2. Motor units – characterizing the activation signal sent from the nervous system to muscle and its influence on muscle function.
  3. Multiple sclerosis – evaluating therapeutic strategies that can reduce the burden of multiple sclerosis by restoring walking ability and reducing fatigue
Enoka Lab 112524

Personnel

  • Director: Roger M. Enoka, Ph.D.
  • Postdoctoral Fellow: Mélanie Henry, Ph.D.
  • Visiting Scholar: Tommy Crompton
  • Graduate Students:
    • Alireza Kamankesh, M.S.
    • Ben Kott, B.S.
    • Kelsey Koger, M.S.
    • Logan Weinman, B.S.
    • Negar Rahimi, M.S.
    • Rehab Al-Jaafari, B.S.
    • Siena Krueger, M.S.
  • Undergraduate Students
    • Eugene Riewe, Echo Cole, Isabel Cleveland
  • Former Lab Members: Photos of former lab members are available in our gallery
  • Collaborators:
    • Aleš Holobar, Ph.D., University of Maribor, Slovenia
    • Alessandro Del Vecchio, Ph.D., Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
    • Dario Farina, Ph.D., Imperial College, UK
    • Enrique Alvarez, M.D., Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
    • Jacques Duchateau, Ph.D., Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
    • Yiannis Amiridis, Ph.D., Aristotle University of Thessaloniki at Serres, Greece

Opportunities for Undergraduates

  • The requirements for undergraduate students who want research experience in our Laboratory are:
    • A major in integrative physiology
    • Opportunities include volunteering to assist with a research project, obtaining independent study credit, securing UROP funding, completing an honors thesis, or coauthoring a manuscript.
    • Students are expected to be available for at least 10 hours/week for a minimum of one semester.
  • For more information, contact Ben Kott (ben.kott@colorado.edu)

Recent Publications

  • Alenazy MA, Al-Jaafari R, Folkesson A, Enoka RM. Influence of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on walking kinematics and standing balance of older adults who differ in walking speed. Experimental Brain Research 241: 1861-1872, 2023.
  • Amiridis IG, Kannas T, Sahinis C, Negro F, Tryipdakis G, Kellis E, Enoka RM. More variability in tibialis anterior function during adduction of the foot than dorsiflexion of the ankle. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 56: 851-859, 2024.
  • Carzoli JP, Enoka RM. Predicting balance and quantifying Romberg Quotient reference ranges in older adults. Journal of Physical Education and Sport 23: 2963-2971, 2023.
  • Carzoli JP, Koger M, Amato A, Enoka RM. Tempo-controlled resistance training of the hip abductors and ankle dorsiflexors with light loads does not improve postural sway in older adults. Experimental Brain Research 240: 3049-3060, 2022.
  • Courter R, Alvarez E, Enoka RM, Ahmed A. Metabolic costs of walking and arm reaching in persons with mild multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurophysiology 129: 819-832, 2023.
  • Daneshgar S, Hoitz F, Enoka RM. Temporal variability in stride kinematics during the application of TENS: a machine learning analysis. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 56: 1701-1708, 2024.
  • Daneshgar S, Tvrdy T, Enoka RM. Practice-induced changes in manual dexterity of older adults depends on initial pegboard time. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 55: 2045-2052, 2023.
  • Daneshgar S, Tvrdy T, Enoka RM. Predictors of improvement in manual dexterity for fast and slow older adults: role of force steadiness. Experimental Brain Research 242: 1971-1982, 2024.
  • Darendeli A, Enoka RM. Control of motor output during steady submaximal contractions is modulated by contraction history. Experimental Brain Research 242: 675-683, 2024.
  • Darendeli A, Ertan H, Enoka RM. Comparison of EMG activity in leg muscles between overground and treadmill running. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 55: 517-524, 2023.
  • Darendeli A, Ertan H, Cug M, Wikstrom E, Enoka RM. Comparison of EMG activity in shank muscles between individuals with and without chronic ankle instability when running on a treadmill. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology 70: 1026773, 2023.
  • Del Vecchio A, Enoka RM, Farina D. Specificity of early motor unit adaptations with resistive exercise training. Journal of Physiology 602: 2679-2688, 2024.
  • Del Vecchio A, Germer CM, Knife TM, Nuccio S, Hug F, Eskokier B, Farina D, Enoka RM.  The forces generated by agonist muscles during isometric contractions arise from motor unit synergies. Journal of Neuroscience 43: 2860-2873, 2023.
  • Efthymiadou E, Amiridis IG, Kannas T, Sahinis T, Lykidis A, Samoladas E, Hatzitaki V, Enoka RM. Force fluctuations during steady plantar flexion and dorsiflexion in youn adults. Journal of Physical Education and Sport 23: 1606-1614, 2023.
  • Farina D, Enoka RM. Evolution of surface electromyography: from muscle electrophysiology toward neural recording and interfacing. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology 71: 102796, 2023.
  • Henry M, Darendeli A, Tvrdy T, Daneshgar S, Enoka RM. Influence of visual and auditory feedback on the proprioceptive sense of force: insights from motor unit recordings. Journal of Neurophysiology 133: 1103-1115, 2025.
  • Kamankesh A, Rahimi N, Amiridis IG, Sahinis C, Hatzitaki V, Enoka RM. Distinguishing the activity of flexor digitorum brevis and soleus across standing postures with deep learning models. Gait & Posture 117: 58-74, 2024.
  • Martinez-Valdes E, Enoka RM, Holobar A, McGill K, Farina D, Besomi M, et al. Consensus for experimental design in electromyography (CEDE) project: Single motor units. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology 68: 1026726, 2023.
  • Pechlivanos RG, Amiridis IG, Anastasiadis N, Kannas T, Sahinis C, Duchateau J. Enoka RM. Effects of plyometric training on vertical jump performance in basketball players. European Journal of Sport Science 24: 682-692, 2024.
  • Petrovic I, Amiridis IG, Holobar A, Trypidakis G, Sahinis C, Kannas T, Kellis E, Enoka RM. Alternating or concurrent exercise training does not influence force control during single-leg submaximal contractions with the dorsiflexors. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 22: 245-253, 2023.
  • Petrovic I, Amiridis IG, Kannas T, Zoi T, Holobar A, Sahinis C, Kellis E, Stankovich D, Enoka RM. Footedness but not dominance influences force steediness during isometric dorsiflexion in young men. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology 73: 102828, 2023.
  • Rahimi N, Kamankesh A, Amiridis IG, Sahinis C, Hatzitaki V, Enoka RM. Distinguishing among standing postures with machine-learning based classificiation algorithms. Experimental Brain Research 243: 3, 2024.
  • Skeparianos A, Amridis IG, Volariz P, Tsampalaki Z, Kannas T, Sahinis C, Salonikidis K, Negro F, Hatzitaki V, Enoka RM. Association between ankle muscle strength and postural sway in older adults. Journal of Physical Education and Sport 23: 2592-2600, 2023.
  • Tsiouri C, Amiridis IG, Kannas T, Varvariotis N, Sahinis C, Hatzitaki V, Enoka RM. Coactivation of foot and ankle muscles increases with a postural challenge. Gait & Posture 113: 238-245, 2024.
  • Tsiouri C, Amiridis IG, Kannas T, Varvariotis N, Sahinis C, Hatzitaki V, Enoka RM. Role of motor unit activity in flexor digitorum brevis to maintain balance during forward leaning. Journal of Sports Sciences 43: 468-476, 2025
  • Tvrdy T, Henry M, Enoka RM. Influence of the variability in motor unit discharge time and neural drive on force steadiness during submaximal contractions with a hand muscle. Journal of Neurophysiology 133: 697-708, 2025.
  • Weinman L, Del Vecchio A, Mazzo M, Enoka RM. Motor unit modes in the calf muscles during a submaximal isometric contraction are changed by brief stretches. Journal of Physiology 602: 1385-1404, 2024.