Dr. Kenzie Friesen

Dr. Kenzie Friesen is a postdoctoral scholar in the Sport injury Prevention Research Centre. She completed her PhD at Auburn University where she researched biomechanics related to injury among softball pitchers. She then went on to be a postdoctorate fellow at USask where her work covered the “sportspan” involving inclusion and accessibility within sport. She also helped validate a work-related and functional task protocol to assess upper limb motion with inertial measuring units. Now at the SIPRC, Kenzie will use instrumented mouthguards to measure head biomechanics and understand concussion injury within team sport athletes. Kenzie has a huge passion for sport and keeping athletes safely involved in the game they love!

1. Friesen KB, Oliver GD. Propulsion and performance differences according to pitcher size: Is bigger better for softball pitching? International Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: 10.1055/a-1778-4359
2. Friesen KB, Oliver GD, Aguinaldo AL. Athlete body composition influences timing during sporting tasks: An analysis of softball pitchers’ segmental angular velocities. [published online ahead of print, April 11, 2022]. Sports Biomechanics. 2022 DOI: 10.1080/14763141.2022.2060853.
3. Friesen KB, Lanovaz JL, Moraes R, Oates A. Don’t get tripped up: Haptic modalities alter gait characteristics while obstacle crossing. Human Movement Science. 2022; 82:102935. DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2022.102935
4. Friesen KB, Saper MG, Oliver GD. Biomechanics related to increased softball pitcher shoulder stress: implications for injury prevention. [published online ahead of print, November 15, 2021]. American Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: 10.1177/03635465211055141
5. Friesen KB, Oliver GD. Predicting shoulder force to prevent injury: Body fat mass increases shoulder stress among pitchers. [published online ahead of print, October 4, 2021]. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002803
6. Friesen KB, Shaw RE, Shannon D, Oliver GD. Single-leg squat compensations are associated with softball pitching pathomechanics in adolescent softball pitchers. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2021; 9(3):232596712199092. DOI: 0.1177/2325967121990920
7. Friesen KB, Barfield JW, Murrah WM, Dugas JR, Andrews JR, Oliver GD. The association of upper-body kinematics and earned run average of national collegiate athletic association division I softball pitchers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2021; 35(11), 3145-3150. DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0000000000003287
8. Friesen KB, Zhang Z, Monaghan PG, Oliver GD, Roper JA. All eyes on you: how researcher presence changes the way you walk. Scientific Reports. 2020; 10:17159. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73734-5
9. Friesen KB, Anz AW, Dugas JR, Andrews JR, Oliver GD. The effects of body mass index on softball pitchers’ hip and shoulder range of motion. Sports Medicine International Open. 2020; 4, E8–E13. DOI: 10.1055/a-1244-1621
10. Friesen KB, Downs JL, Wasserberger KW, Shannon D, Oliver GD. Glenohumeral and hip range of motion in youth softball athletes. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019; 41(1), 59-64. DOI: 10.1055/a-1019-7742
11. Bordelon NM, Friesen KB, Plummer H, Fava A, Oliver GD. Peak elbow flexion does not influence peak shoulder distraction force or ball velocity in NCAA division I softball pitchers. [published online ahead of print, January 17, 2022]. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2022. DOI: 10.1177/23259671211067828
12. Bordelon NM, Wasserberger KW, Downs Talmage JL, Friesen KB, Washington JK, Oliver GD. Segment power analysis of collegiate softball hitting. [published online ahead of print, December 28, 2021]. Sports Biomechanics. 2021. DOI: 10.1080/14763141.2021.2011391
13. Oliver GD, Downs JL, Friesen KB, Saper MG, Dugas JR. Decreased shoulder and elbow joint loads during the changeup compared with the fastball and curveball in NCAA division I collegiate softball pitchers. [published online ahead of print, September 8, 2021]. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2021; 9(9). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23259671211026625
14. Wasserberger KW, Friesen KB, Bordelon NM, Downs JL, Oliver GD. Comparison of pelvis and trunk kinematics between youth and collegiate windmill softball pitchers. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020; 9(8). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23259671211021826
15. Pletcher E, Friesen KB, Oliver GD, Lovalekar M, Gorse K, Nagai T, Connaboy C. Drive leg ground reaction forces and rate of force development over consecutive softball windmill pitches.  [published online ahead of print, July 28, 2021]. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.21.12644-1
16. Downs JL, Bordelon NM, Friesen KB, Oliver GD. Kinematic differences exist between the fastball, changeup, curveball, and dropball pitch types in collegiate softball pitchers. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2021; 49(4): 036354652098817. DOI: 10.1177/0363546520988172
17. Oliver GD, Wasserberger KW, de Swart A, Friesen KB, Downs JL, Bordelon NM. Effects of hip range of motion and isometric strength on energy flow during windmill softball pitching. [published online ahead of print, January 25, 2021]. Journal of Athletic Training. DOI: 10.4085/145-20
18. Oliver GD, Downs JL, Friesen KB, Saper MG, Anz AW, Andrews JR. Biceps tendon changes and pitching mechanics in youth softball pitchers. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020, 42(03): 277-282. DOI: 10.1055/a-1236-3855
19. Oliver GD, Friesen KB, Barfield JW, Giordano KA, Bordelon NM, Anz A, Goodlett MD, Andrews JR. Lower extremity pain and pitching kinematics and kinetics in collegiate softball pitchers. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020, 42(6):544-549. DOI: 10.1055/a-1263-0938
20. Downs JL, Friesen KB, Dugas JR, Andrews JR, Oliver GD. Effects of a simulated game on pitching kinematics in youth softball pitchers. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019; 41(3), 189-195. DOI: 10.1055/a-1062-6475
21. Oliver GD, Friesen KB, Barfield JW, Giordano KA, Anz A, Dugas JR, Andrews JR. Association of upper extremity pain with softball pitching kinematics and kinetics. [published online ahead of print, August 21, 2019]. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: org/10.1177/2325967119865171
22. Brittain AR, Friesen KB, Wasserberger KW, Barfield JW, Oliver GD. Single-leg squat performance and reported pain within youth softball players. Journal of Applied Sciences. 2020; 10(5), 1648-1657. DOI: 10.3390/app10051648
23. Oliver GD, Gilmer GG, Friesen KB, Plummer HA, Anz AW, Andrews JR. Functional differences in softball pitchers with and without upper extremity pain. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2019; 22(10), 1079-1083. DOI: org/10.1016/j.jsams.2019.06.001
24. Oliver GD, Washington JK, Friesen KB, Anz AW, Dugas JR. The effects of a pre-throwing program on collegiate NCAA Division I softball pitchers’ biomechanical measures of hip and shoulder range of motion. Journal of Orthopaedic Therapy. 2018; (2). DOI: 10.29011/2575-8241. 000081
25. Oliver GD, Gilmer GG, Anz AW, Friesen KB, Brittain AR, Goodlett MD, Dugas JR, Andrews JR. Upper extremity pain and pitching mechanics in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I softball. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018; 39(12), 929-935. DOI: 10.1055/a-0658-1546