Heather K. Vincent

Heather K. Vincent is an associate professor and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. She researches and works directly with adults and children on exercise and active lifestyles to prevent injury, fight disability and combat diseases like obesity and osteoarthritis. Heather's main clinical research focus is the study of the effects of obesity on joint disease mechanisms such as osteoarthritis, and the development of exercise-based interventions to reduce disease pathology, pain and disability. She uses an integrative approach in her research and combines physiological assessment, biochemical markers, biomechanical measures and patient subjective measures to study these relationships. Heather is the director of research and director of the UF Health Sports Performance Center (SPC) and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. In the Sports Performance Center, Heather oversees the development of numerous health, fitness and motion analysis services. Her main sport foci include running for health and the study of lacrosse. Her specialty for lifestyle change includes the use of exercise and nutrition modification for weight management and health.