Education

  • Ph.D., Loughborough University (UK) 
  • M.Sc., Groningen University (NL) 
  • B.Sc., VU University (NL

Courses

  • First-Year Experience
  • Motor Learning
  • Research Methods
  • Internship in Recreation and Fitness Management
  • Advanced Principles of Exercise and Sport Science

Biography

Hoekstra`s research focuses on the impact of disability and chronic health conditions on cardiometabolic health outcomes to develop accessible and effective therapeutic strategies. He is particularly interested in using environmental stimuli (e.g., passive heat therapy) to improve glucose metabolism, chronic low-grade inflammation and vascular function.

Following completion of his Ph.D. investigating non-pharmacological strategies to reduce chronic low-grade inflammation in persons restricted from engaging in lower-body exercise, he went on to integrate his research in rehabilitation settings during Postdoctoral work at Wakayama Medical University (JPN), Loughborough University (UK), the University of Texas Health Science Center and the South Texas Veteran Affairs Hospital in San Antonio. At St. Mary`s University, he looks to integrate this experience into his teaching and build on his research portfolio through collaborative research with national and international partners.

Hoekstra`s research aims to integrate knowledge obtained from the fields of Exercise and Environmental Physiology into rehabilitation settings to improve cardiometabolic health and the quality of life of persons with a disability or chronic condition.

Specific keywords of associated with this work include: Exercise Physiology; Environmental Physiology; Cardiometabolic Health; Preventative medicine; Rehabilitation; Chronic low-grade inflammation; Glucose metabolism; Microvascular health; Passive heat therapy; Spinal cord injury

Research Interests

Madigan, C., King, J.A., Taylor, C., Hoekstra, S., Graham, H., Kirk., N., Fenton J., Goosey-Tolfrey, V.L. (2024) A systematic review and qualitative synthesis of weight management interventions for people with spinal cord injury, Obesity Reviews, In press. IF: 9.28

Hoekstra, S.P., Ettema, F., Van der Bijll, M., Van der Sterren, V., Van Binsbergen, E., Van Orsouw, L., Achterberg, W., Daanen, H., Janssen, T., De Groot, S. (2024) The effect of breathing exercises and mindset with or without cold exposure on mental and physical health in persons with a spinal cord injury – a protocol for a three-arm randomised-controlled trial. Spinal Cord, In press. IF: 2.47

Hoekstra, S.P., Trbovich, M.B., Koek, W.. Mader M., Salehi M. (2024) The effect of level of injury on diabetes incidence and mortality after spinal cord injury – a longitudinal cohort study. Spinal Cord, In press. IF: 2.47

Nishioka, Y., Hoekstra, S.P., Sawada, K., Nakamura, T., Tajima, F., & Mikami, Y. (2024). Blood pressure regulation in persons with a transfemoral amputation: effects of wearing a prosthesis. Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics, 36(1), 49-53. IF: 0.60

Su, Y., Hoekstra, S.P., Leicht, C.A. (2023) Hot water immersion is associated with higher thermal comfort than dry passive heating for a similar rise in rectal temperature and plasma interleukin‑6 concentration. European Journal of Applied Physiology, In press. IF: 3.35

De Groot, S., Ettema, W.L., Van Leeuwen, C.M.C, Achterberg, W.J., Janssen, T.W.J., Hoekstra, S.P. (2023) The effect of mindset and breathing exercises on physical and mental health in persons with spinal cord injury— a pilot feasibility study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, In press. IF: 4.61

Fenton, J.M., King, J.A., McLeod C.J., Hoekstra, S.P., Goosey-Tolfrey, V.L. (2023). A comparison of meal-related appetite, food reward and eating behaviour traits in people with and without spinal cord injury, Appetite, In press. IF: 5.02

Bellini, D., Chapman, C., Peden, D., Hoekstra, S. P., Ferguson, R. A., Leicht, C. A. (2022). Ischaemic preconditioning improves upper-body endurance performance without altering V̇O2 kinetics. European Journal of Sport Science, 1-9. IF: 3.98

De Groot, S., Kouwijzer, I., Hoekstra, S. P., Vroemen, G., Valent, L. J., & van der Woude, L. H. (2022). External and internal work load during a mountain time trial in trained handcyclists vs. a world class handcyclist and determinants of performance. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. In press. IF: 3.41

Nishiyama, K., Kamijo, Y. I., van der Scheer, J. W., Kinoshita, T., Goosey-Tolfrey, V. L., Hoekstra, S. P., & Tajima, F. (2022). Lipid metabolism after mild cold stress in persons with a cervical spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord, 1-6. IF: 2.47

Fenton, J. M., King, J. A., Hoekstra, S. P., Valentino, S. E., Phillips, S. M., & Goosey-Tolfrey, V. L. (2022). Protocols aiming to increase muscle mass in persons with motor complete spinal cord injury: a systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 1-11. IF: 2…44

Yasuoka, Y., Nakamura, T., Umemoto, Y., Kinoshita, T., Hoekstra, S. P., Hoshiai, K., & Tajima, F. (2022). An 18-hole round of golf acutely elevates serum interleukin-6 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentration – a pilot study. The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine, 11(1), 1-7. IF: 1.60

Ogawa, T., Hoekstra S.P., Kamijo, Y.I., Goosey-Tolfrey, V.L., Walsh, J.J., Tajima, F., Leicht, C.A. (2021) Serum and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentration are elevated by systemic but not local passive heating. Plos One. 16(12), e0260775. IF: 3.75

Mikami, Y., Umemoto, Y., Hoekstra, S. P., Hori, S., Iwahashi, T., Mochida, K., Tajima, F. (2021). A one touch clamp and rack smart pump reduces mobilisation time and perceived burden of clinical staff members in charge of acute phase rehabilitation. Journal of Medical Engineering & Technology. 1-8. IF: 2.77

Fenton, J.M., King, J. A., Hoekstra, S.P., Willis, S.A., Ogawa, T., Goosey-Tolfrey, V. L. (2021). Accentuated early postprandial satiety in people with spinal cord injury versus able-bodied controls. Appetite. 167, 105628. IF: 5.02

Cheng, J. L., Williams, J. S., Hoekstra, S.P., MacDonald, M. J. (2021). Improvements in vascular function in response to acute lower limb heating in young healthy males and females. Journal of Applied Physiology. 131(1), 277-289. IF: 3.53

Mansfield, R., Hoekstra, S.P., Bill, J., Leicht, C.A. (2021). Local cooling during hot water immersion improves perceptions without inhibiting the acute interleukin-6 response. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 121(6), 1581-1591. IF: 3.35

Hoekstra, S. P., Ogawa, T., Dos Santos, M., Handsley, G., Bailey, S. J., Goosey-Tolfrey, V. L., & Leicht, C. A. (2021). The effects of local versus systemic passive heating on the acute inflammatory, vascular and glycaemic response. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 46(7), 808-818. IF: 3.46

Hoekstra, S. P., Kamijo, Y. I., Matsushita, T., Leicht, C. A., Nishiyama, K., Goosey-Tolfrey, V. L., & Tajima, F. (2021). The acute effect of dopamine infusion on lipid and cytokine concentrations in persons with a cervical spinal cord injury—a pilot study. Spinal Cord, 1-8. IF: 2.47

Kakita M., Mikami Y., Ibusuki T., Shimoe T., Kamijo Y.I., Hoekstra S.P., Tajima F. (2020) The prevalence of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow and ulnar nerve dislocation in recreational wheelchair marathon athletes. Plos One, 15(12), e0243324. IF: 3.75

Kinoshita T., Yoshikawa T., Nishimura Y., Kamijo Y.I., Arakawa H., Nakamura T., Hashizaki T., Hoekstra S.P., Tajima F. (2020) Mobilization within 24 hours of new-onset stroke enhances the rate of home discharge at 6-months follow-up: a prospective cohort study. International Journal of Neuroscience. 131(11), 1097-1106. IF: 2.59

Hoekstra S.P., Bishop N.C., Leicht C.A. (2020) Elevating body temperature to reduce low-grade inflammation: a welcome strategy for those unable to exercise? Exercise Immunology Review, 26, 42-50. IF: 11.07

Leicht C. A., James L. J., Briscoe J. H., & Hoekstra S. P. (2019) Hot water immersion acutely increases postprandial glucose concentrations. Physiological Reports, 7(20), e14223. IF: 2.43

Stephenson B.T., Hoekstra S.P., Tolfrey K.T., Goosey-Tolfrey V.L. (2019) High thermoregulatory strain during competitive paratriathlon racing in the heat. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 15(2), 231-237. IF: 4.21

Hoekstra S.P., Leicht C.A., Kamijo Y.I., Kinoshita T., Stephenson B.T., Goosey-Tolfrey V.L., Bishop N.C., Tashima F. (2019) The inflammatory response to endurance exercise in people with a spinal cord injury – the role of autonomic function. Journal of Sport Sciences, 23(2), 1-8. IF: 3.40

Hoekstra, S. P., Westerman, M. N., Beke, F., Bishop, N. C., & Leicht, C. A. (2019) Modality- specific training adaptations–do they lead to a dampened acute inflammatory response to exercise? Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 44(9), 965-972. IF: 3.46

Hoekstra, S. P., Wright, A. K., Bishop, N. C., & Leicht, C. A. (2019) The effect of temperature and heat shock protein 72 on the ex vivo acute inflammatory response in monocytes. Cell Stress and Chaperones, 24(2), 461-467. IF: 3.83

Hoekstra, S. P., Bishop, N. C., Faulkner, S. H., Bailey, S. J., & Leicht, C. A. (2018) The acute and chronic effects of hot water immersion on inflammation and metabolism in sedentary, overweight adults. Journal of Applied Physiology, 25(6), 2008-2018. IF: 3.53

De Groot, S., Hoekstra, S. P., Comtesse, P. G. P., Kouwijzer, I., Valent, L. J. (2018) Relationship between internal and external handcycle training load in people with spinal cord injury training for the Handbikebattle. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 50(3), 261-268. IF: 3.96

Hoekstra, S. P., Bishop, N. C., Leicht, C. A. (2017) Can intervals enhance the inflammatory response and enjoyment in upper-body exercise? European Journal of Applied Physiology, 117(6), 1155-1163. IF: 3.35

Hoekstra, S.P., Valent, L., Gobets, D., van der Woude, L., De Groot, S. (2017) Effects of four-month handbike training under free-living conditions on physical fitness and health in wheelchair users. Disability and Rehabilitation, 39(16), 1581-1588. IF: 2.44

SELECTED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS AND INVITED PRESENTATIONS

Hoekstra S.P., Kellogg D. Jr, Uhlig-Reche H., Wu Y., Leicht C.A., Trbovich M. (2024) Passive
heat therapy to improve cardiometabolic health in persons with spinal cord injury – a pilot study. Annual conference of the American Physiological Society, poster presentation

Hoekstra S.P. (2024) Thermal stress – Friend or foe for persons with a spinal cord injury? Rehabilitation Medicine UT Health at San Antonio Residency Program

Hoekstra S.P. (2023) Using environmental stimuli to improve cardiometabolic health in
persons with a spinal cord injury. Institute of Advanced Studies at Loughborough University, invited presentation.

Hoekstra S.P. (2023) The influence of spinal cord injury on weight management and glucose metabolism. Dutch Spinal Cord Injury Research Network (SCIONN), invited webinar presentation.

Hoekstra S.P., Trbovich M.B., Salehi M. (2023) Reduced prandial insulin secretion and insulin action both contribute to altered glucose metabolism after spinal cord injury. American Spinal Cord Injury Professionals` meeting, oral presentation

Hoekstra S.P., Trbovich M.B., Salehi M. (2023) Level of injury affects body mass changes but has no influence on alteration in glycaemic index in persons with spinal cord injury — a prospective cohort study. American Diabetes Association`s Scientific Session, poster presentation

Hoekstra S.P. (2022) Passive heat therapy – towards an additional tool to improve cardiometabolic health in persons with spinal cord injury. American Spinal Injury Association Early Career Researchers Webinar Series, invited webinar presentation.

Hoekstra S.P., & Leicht C.A. (2022) The effects of local versus systemic passive heating on the acute inflammatory, vascular and glycemic response. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, invited webinar presentation

Hoekstra S.P., Kamijo Y.I., Goosey-Tolfrey V.L., Ogawa T., Bailey S.J., Cheng J., Tajima F., Leicht C.A. (2021) The effect of local cooling strategies on the perceptual and inflammatory response to passive heating. Future Physiology, oral presentation

Hoekstra S.P., Kamijo Y.I., Goosey-Tolfrey V.L., Ogawa T., Bailey S.J., Cheng J., Tajima F., Leicht

C.A. (2020) No perception of heat strain, no gain? Exploring strategies to enhance the tolerability of passive heating. Physiology & Pharmacology of Thermoregulation, oral presentation and symposium organization

Hoekstra S.P., Bishop N.C., Kamijo Y.I., Goosey-Tolfrey V.L., Tajima F., Leicht C.A. (2019) Inducing an inflammatory response in people with a disability; time to raise the temperature? International Conference of Environmental Ergonomics  (The Netherlands), oral presentation

Hoekstra S.P., Westerman M., Beke F., Bishop N.C., Leicht C.A. (2018) Chronic training and a reduced active muscle mass can attenuate the acute inflammatory response to interval exercise. Meeting of the European College of Sport Sciences, Dublin (Ireland). Oral presentation

Hoekstra S.P.
, Leicht C.A., Kamijo Y.I., Kinoshita T., Stephenson B.T., Goosey-Tolfrey V.L., Bishop N.C., Tashima F. (2018). The acute inflammatory response to a wheelchair half-marathon in people with a spinal cord injury – the role of autonomic function. RehabMove, Groningen (The Netherlands)

Hoekstra S.P., Bishop N.C., Leicht C.A. (2018). Strategies to induce an inflammatory response in people restricted from engaging in lower-body exercise. International Symposiums of Sports Medical Science for persons with impairments, Wakayama (Japan). Invited presentation

Hoekstra S.P., Bishop N.C., Leicht C.A. (2018). The immune response to exercise in Paralympic athletes and sedentary individuals with disability. Annual conference of the Dutch Society for Human Movement Sciences (VVBN), Utrecht (The Netherlands). Invited presentation

Hoekstra S.P., Leicht C.A., Kamijo Y.I., Kinoshita T., Stephenson B.T., Goosey-Tolfrey V.L., Bishop N.C., Tashima F. (2018). The acute inflammatory response to a wheelchair half-marathon in people with a spinal cord injury – the role of autonomic function. Kyoten annual symposium Japan, Wakayama (Japan). Invited presentation

Hoekstra S.P., Leicht C.A., Kamijo Y.I., Kinoshita T., Stephenson B.T., Goosey-Tolfrey V.L., Bishop N.C., Tashima F. (2017) The inflammatory response to endurance exercise in people with a spinal cord injury – the influence of autonomic function. Meeting of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Nottingham (United Kingdom). Oral presentation

Hoekstra S.P., Bishop N.C., Faulkner S.H., Leicht C.A. (2017) Elevated core temperature – not only useful in the context of exercise to combat chronic low-grade inflammation? Meeting of the International Society of Exercise and Immunology, Coimbra (Portugal). Oral presentation

Publications
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