Dr. Graydon Raymer
Dr. Graydon Raymer, Professor and Director of the School of Physical and Health Education at Nipissing University, was hired in 2007 to establish Nipissing’s new Bachelor of Physical and Health Education program. Dr. Raymer’s teaching interests include a broad range of subjects, particularly Exercise Physiology, Exercise Management for Persons with Chronic Diseases, and Leadership and Professionalism. Dr. Raymer’s research interests blend a mix of exercise physiology and analytical/mathematical modelling of physiological phenomena and sports performance. Dr. Raymer helped design the plans for the eventual construction of the $13M, 2,800 square-metre Centre for Physical and Health Education and has been successful in obtaining over $700k in Canadian Foundation for Innovation funding to equip his research laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment, including:
- Custom-built Environmental Chamber (Temperature, Humidity, and Oxygen control)
- Motek/Force-Link Split-Belt, Instrumented Treadmill with Optitrak Motion Capture
- Level-2 Biological Sampling Room (with Blood-Gas Electrolyte Analyzer, Lactate Analyzer Biological Safety Cabinet, Autoclave, Refrigerator and Ultra-Low Freezer)
- Innovision Innocor Metabolic Cart (Non-invasive Oxygen Consumption, Cardiac Output)
- MedGraphics CPX Ultima Metabolic Cart (Oxygen Consumption and Metabolic Rate)
- 32 Channel Powerlab Data Acquisition system (for ECG, EMG, etc.)
- Spirometers (Lung Function Testing)
- Skin Temperature Sensors
- ISS Oxiplex Near Infrared Spectrometer
- Two Computrainer Velotron Cycle Ergometers
- Trackmaster TMX-425 Treadmill
Dr. Raymer supervises one to two graduate students annually in Nipissing’s Master of Science in Kinesiology program. As a Registered Kinesiologist in the province of Ontario, Dr. Raymer has also been involved in regulation of the profession as a member of the Council of the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario from 2017 to 2022. Finally, Dr. Raymer continues to remain directly involved in high-performance sport as the Head Coach of the varsity Cross-Country Running Team at Nipissing University.
Areas of Specialization:
Exercise physiology
Research Interests:
Mathematical modelling of physiological phenomena, sport and exercise performance, accelerometry and physical activity measurement
Current & Future Research:
Current research includes projects funded by two CIHR grants (Opportunities for Moving More and Sitting Less: Exploring a Whole School Approach to Improve Children's 24-Hour Movement Patterns, $504,990; and Implementation and Impact Evaluation of a Safe Active School Travel Planning Program, $199,020). Working with a network of collaborators from Nipissing, the Children’s Hospital of Northeastern Ontario, Queen’s University, Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Prince Edward Island, and the University of Windsor, our goal is to use physical activity and sleep measurements derived from accelerometry data to identify opportunities for improving children’s 24-hr movement and implement low cost, theory-based, context specific school physical activity initiatives with a meaningful impact on target behaviours.
Other ongoing research projects include: investigations into the sex, age, and performance-based differences in pacing for cycling and running portions of triathlon events; the effects of a 6-week nose breathing running program on running performance, breath hold endurance, resting and exercising physiological variables; and, the physiological and biochemical changes occurring in participants who voluntarily consumed an all-wild food diet for 12 months.
Shwed A, Bruner B, Rickwood G, Karvinen K, Lévesque L, Mantha S, Raymer GH. Child and Parent Perspectives on Active School Transportation: Barriers and Facilitators in a Northern Environment. Submitted to Journal of Transport and Health.
Gonçalves Galdino da Costa B, Bruner B, Benson SS, Raymer GH, Law B. Canadian Children’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors During Time-Segments of the School Day. Am J Health Education. 2022.
Belfry GR, Raymer GH, Marsh GD, Paterson DH, Thomas SG. Muscle metabolic status and acid-base balance during 10-s work:5-s recovery intermittent and continuous exercise. J Appl Physiol. 113(3):410-7. 2012.
O’Rourke, B.L., Law, B., Bruner, B.G., Raymer, G., Richards, D. Do kids move it, move it? Exploring grade and sex influences on movement behaviour during balanced school day nutrition breaks. Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport, 2018; 50(1): 273.
McNeil CJ, Raymer GH, Doherty TJ, Marsh GD, and Rice CL. Geometry of a weight-bearing and non-weight bearing bone in the legs of young, old, and very old men. Calcif Tissue Int. 85(1): 22-30, 2009.
Raymer GH, Green HJ, Ranney DA, Marsh GD, and Thompson RT. Muscle metabolism and acid-base status during exercise in forearm work-related myalgia measured with 31P-MRS. J Appl Physiol. 106: 1198-1206, 2009.
Forbes SC, Raymer GH, Kowalchuk JM, Thompson RT and Marsh GD. Effects of recovery time on phosphocreatine kinetics during repeated bouts of heavy-intensity exercise. Eur.J.Appl.Physiol. 103(6): 665-675, 2008.
Raymer GH, Forbes SC, Kowalchuk JM, Thompson RT and Marsh GD. Prior exercise delays the onset of acidosis during incremental exercise. J Appl Physiol 102: 1799-1805, 2007.
Raymer GH, Allman BL, Rice CL, Marsh GD and Thompson RT. Characteristics of a MRcompatible ankle exercise ergometer for a 3.0 T head-only MR scanner. Med Eng Phys 28: 489-494, 2006.
Bartolini ME, Wilson K, Raja M, Raymer GH, Thompson RT, Webber CE and Moran GR. Dual X-ray absorptiometry model for characterizing water in the human forearm using multiple frequency bioimpedance analysis. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 84: 181-193, 2006.
Raja MK, Raymer GH, Moran GR, Marsh G and Thompson RT. Changes in tissue water content measured with multiple-frequency bioimpedance and metabolism measured with 31P-MRS during progressive forearm exercise. J Appl Physiol 101: 1070-1075, 2006.
Forbes SC, Raymer GH, Kowalchuk JM and Marsh GD. NaHCO3-induced alkalosis reduces the phosphocreatine slow component during heavy-intensity forearm exercise. J Appl Physiol 99: 1668-1675, 2005.
Raymer GH, Marsh GD, Kowalchuk JM and Thompson RT. Metabolic effects of induced alkalosis during progressive forearm exercise to fatigue. J Appl Physiol 96: 2050-2056, 2004.