Jan Hondzinski

Professor

Bachelor's Degree(s):Physical Education and Mathematics (minor), University of Utah, 1986
Master's Degree: Health Education, University of Utah, 1990
PhD: Exercise Science, University of Iowa, 1998
Other Degrees: Level IV Teaching Endorsement in Mathematics, University of Utah, 1991

Phone: 225-578-9144
Email: jhondz1@lsu.edu
Office: 2200 HPL Field House
Curriculum Vitae

Biography

Dr. Hondzinski's research interests involve the study of motor control and sensorimotor integration in tasks requiring whole body movements. She explores the control mechanisms during movements involving the entire body. Studies involve the effects of gaze direction, sensory alterations or neurodegeneration on movement of the body or body segments. The results of the experiments identify coordination strategies of "normal" subjects and contribute to the basic understanding of sensory use and movement variations effects for movement control. Such information may also be used to improve training regimes or expand rehabilitation strategies for individuals with deficits due to normal aging or pathology, such as vestibular loss, peripheral neuropathy, or Parkinson’s disease. 

 Dr. Hondzinski came to LSU after receiving her PhD in Exercise Science with specialization in Motor Control and Biomechanics and completing 2 years post-doctoral training in Motor Control. She was promoted to Professor in 2020 and is currently the Motor Behavior Area Coordinator for the Department of Kinesiology.

Selected Awards & Honors

2022-2023 McPherson Eye Research Institute Visiting Scholar. University of Wisconsin-Madison

2018-2019 College of Human Sciences and Education Engagement Award, Louisiana State University

2018 First annual Dr. Alan Elkins Science Lecture, Baton Rouge Community College

2013-2014  Helen "Bessie" Pliner Endowed Professorship, Louisiana State University

2010-2011  Flagship Faculty Award, Louisiana State University

Current Funded Research

Co-PI: Effects of Wild Blueberries on Motor Performance of Parkinson’s Patients: A Preliminary Clinical Trial. Wild Blueberry Association of North America.

Site-PI: Study in Parkinson Disease of Exercise Phase 3 Clinical Trial: SPARX3. NIH/NINDS U01 Clinical Trial

PI-Representative: P.J. Mills Parkinson’s Support Fund. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. https://www.lsu.edu/chse/kinesiology/kin-news/pj_mills_parkinsons_support_fund.php

Selected Publications

Yan, S.* & Hondzinski, J.M. (2025) Deceptive illusory cues can influence orthogonally directed manual length estimations, Atten Percept Psycholphys, https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-024-02991-7

Zhang, T., Li, L., Hondzinski, J.M., Mao, M., Sun, W., & Song, Q. (2024) Tai Chi counteracts age-related somatosensation and postural control declines among older adults, J Exerc Sci Fit, 22:152-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2024.02.004

Yan, S.*, Yeomans, M.A.*, & Hondzinski, J.M. (2023) Vertical-horizontal illusory effects with gaze restrictions do not change length estimations using the lower limb, Exp Brain Res, 241:67-80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-022-06504-6  

Patterson, C.G., Joslin, E., Gil, A.B., Spigle, W., Nemet, T., Chahine, L., et al., SPARX3(Hondzinski, J.M.)-PSG. (2022) Study in Parkinson’s Disease of Exercise Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial (SPARX3), Trials 23(1):855. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06703-0 

Xu, J.*, Nelson, A.G., & Hondzinski, J.M. (2021) Passive static stretching alters the characteristics of the force-velocity curvature differently for fast and slow muscle groups—A practical application of Hill's equation. Hum Move Sci, 79:102852 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2021.102852 

Yeomans, M.A.*, Phillips, B.**, Dalecki, M., & Hondzinski, J.M. (2021) Eye movements influence on coupled and decoupled eye-hand coordination tasks. Exp Brain Res, 239:2477-2488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-021-06138-0

Yeomans, M.A.*, Yan, S.*, Hondzinski, J.M., & Dalecki, M. (2021) Eye-hand decoupling decreases visually guided reaching independently of posture but reduces sway while standing: Evidence for supra-postural control. Neurosci Lett, 752:135833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135833

Yan, S.*, & Hondzinski, J.M. (2021) Gaze direction changes the vertical-horizontal illusory effects on manual length estimations. J Mot Behav, 53(1):92-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2020.1732286

*represents graduate student; **represents undergraduate student

Selected Presentations

Invited:

(2025, January) Combating neurodegenerative dementia with exercise: You’ve got to move it!. Presentation for Alzheimer’s Services 30th Annual Education Conference at Crown Plaza Executive Center, Baton Rouge, LA (Caregiver-based)

(April 2022) Sensorimotor control and rehabilitation: Taking advantage of neuroplasticity. Keynote for the 1st Annual Rehabilitation-Biomechanics Conference. Virtual meeting. [Shandong Sport University, Beijing, China]

(June 2021) From accuracy of gaze tracking to altered sensory and cognitive inputs on movement control. Senior Lecturer for the Motor Learning and Control at the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference. Virtual meeting [published in: J Sport Exercise Psych, 43(Suppl.), S2]

Conference *represents graduate student; **represents undergraduate student:

Sansare, A., Lei, Y., Soroushi, H., Gauss, T.*, Hondzinski, J. (June-July 2025) Sensory cortical contributions during standing balance are altered in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Presentation at the International Society of Posture & Gait Research (ISPGR) Meeting, Maastricht, Netherlands.

Gauss, T.M.*, Tabari, F.*, Johari, K., Hondzinski, J.M. (October 2024) Benefits from left frontal aslant tract stimulation do not degrade postural sway in people with Parkinson's disease. Presentation at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.

Gauss, T.M.*, Lormand, R.M.**, Yeomans, M.A., Hondzinski, J.M. (June 2024) Stretch times of acute opposing ankle muscles: Stretch less to sway less. Presentation at the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA [published in: J Sport Exercise Psych, 46(Suppl.), S29]

Rodriguez, K.*, Hondzinski, J.M. (June 2024) Repetitive stepping practice improves spatiotemporal components of comfortable walking gait: the more directions, the better. Presentation at the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA [published in: J Sport Exercise Psych, 46(Suppl.), S42]

Gauss, T.M.*, Morales, J.B.*, Lormand, R.M.**, Yeomans, M.A., Hondzinski, J.M. (November 2023) Good proprioception and stretch induced hypermobility can increase sway in young adults. Presentation at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington DC.

Gauss, T.M.*, Morales, J.B.*, Lormand, R.M.**, Yeomans, M.A., Hondzinski, J.M. (June 2023) Stretching Different Ankle Muscles Does Not Alter Associated Proprioception or Balance. Presentation at the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada [published in: J Sport Exercise Psych, 45(Suppl.), S31]

Watts, T.**, Cannon, M.***, Adeyemo, A.G.**, Gauss, T., Hondzinski, J.M. (Nov 2022) Use of actual and remembered visual feedback for obstacle clearance during walking. Presentation at the 51st  Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. 

Adeyemo, A.G.**, Watts, T.**, Randon, E.*, Yan, S., Hondzinski, J.M. (May 2022) Illusory effects on stepping over obstacles after lower extremity muscle fatigue. Presentation at the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference, Waikoloa, HI [published in: J Sport Exercise Psych, 44(Suppl.), S29]

Addison, R.N.*, Hondzinski, J.M., Van Gemmert, A.W.A. (May 2022) Training visuomotor adaptation with remembered targets improves reaction time in different workspace locations. Presentation at the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference, Waikoloa, HI [published in: J Sport Exercise Psych, 44(Suppl.), S28]

Hondzinski, J.M., Davis, M.*, Wang, Y.*, Castro Jr., R.*, Hua, R.*, Kennedy, D. (November 2021) The effects of bimanual coordination constraints on postural control. Presentation at the 50th Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. Virtual meeting.

Yan, S.*, Yeomans, M.A.*, Hondzinski, J.M. (June 2021) Vertical-horizontal (V-H) illusory effects with gaze restrictions influence planning but not completion of length estimations using the lower limb. Presentation at the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference. Virtual meeting [published in: J Sport Exercise Psych, 43(Suppl.), S51]

Yeomans, M.A.*, Yan, S.*, Hondzinski, J.M., Dalecki, M. (June 2021) Eye-hand coordination and postural control vary according to changes in cognitive-motor load. Presentation at the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Annual Conference. Virtual meeting [published in: J Sport Exercise Psych, 43(Suppl.), S52]

Research Projects

Effects of gravitational pull, gaze direction, visual inputs, fatigue, stretching, and/or sensory deficits on coordination, goal-directed movements, and physical function of balance and mobility—influences of healthy aging and neurological deficits

Effects of various training techniques, including those involving external assistance on functional performance and motor control in people with neurological deficits or functional declines, including Parkinson’s disease and peripheral neuropathy

Nutritional effects on symptoms and function in people with Parkinson’s disease