Dr. Koulla Parpa

Scopus Publications

Electromyographic Activation of the Pectoralis Major and Triceps Brachii Muscles During Standard, Diamond, and Wide Hand Position Push-Ups
Konstantina Intziegianni, Epifanios Katsamis, Marcos Michaelides, Koulla Parpa
Muscles, 2026
Studies examining the electromyographic activation of pectoralis major (PM) and triceps brachii (TB) muscles during push-ups of varied hand positions are limited, and findings are inconsistent. The aim was to investigate the electromyographic activation of PM and TB during standard, diamond, and wide hand position push-ups. Twenty young males performed six repetitions of each push-up variation while the electrical activity of PM and TB was recorded, averaged, and normalized to the peak root mean square (RMS) across repetitions for each push-up. RMS (mV) and normalized RMS (%) were calculated for each muscle, push-up variation, and contraction phase (eccentric/concentric). Two separate three-way ANOVAs with Bonferroni post hoc correction were used (α = 0.05). TB demonstrated statistically significantly higher RMS (mV) and normalized RMS (%) than PM (p < 0.05), in diamond, followed by standard and wide push-ups. A statistically significant higher activation of RMS (mV) was observed in concentric compared to eccentric (p < 0.05); however, after normalizing RMS (%), contraction phase had no effect (p > 0.05) and there was no significant three-way interaction (p > 0.05). Diamond push-ups elicited the highest relative activation for both the PM and TB. Normalized RMS revealed the consistency of muscle effort in both contraction phases, sustaining near-maximal activation regardless of hand position. These findings support adaptable training strategies, with potential applications in rehabilitation and strength training contexts.
Barriers to Exercise Participation in Individuals with Fibromyalgia in a Workplace Setting
Koulla Parpa
Medicina Lithuania, 2026
Background and Objectives: Regular exercise improves pain, fatigue, and overall function in individuals with fibromyalgia (FM), yet adherence remains low, especially among employed adults. This study examined symptom and workplace-related factors associated with exercise participation among employees with FM. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional workplace survey was conducted across nine large employers (>100 employees) representing diverse occupational roles. Participants (n = 1044) reported FM diagnosis, exercise participation (≥3 sessions/week), perceived exercise barriers, sleep duration, and job-related stress. Comparisons were conducted between employees with and without FM, and within-group analyses explored exercise-related patterns among those with FM. Results: Forty-two participants (4.0%) reported a formal FM diagnosis. Compared with employees without FM, those with FM were older and reported significantly greater pain, fatigue, emotional stress and poorer sleep (all p < 0.01). Despite this increased symptom burden, rates of regular exercise did not differ between FM and non-FM employees (40.5% vs. 36.8%, p = 0.38). Within the FM group, exercisers and non-exercisers showed minimal observable differences in symptom severity. However, employees with FM reported shorter exercise session durations and identified sleep disruption, fatigue, and work-related demands as prominent barriers. Conclusions: Among employed adults with FM, symptom severity alone did not appear to distinguish those who engaged in regular exercise from those who did not. Instead, modifiable workplace and environmental barriers were indicated as key factors influencing exercise participation, emphasizing the need for occupationally informed strategies to support sustained physical activity in this population.
Effects of the FIFA 11 + Program on Physical Fitness in Youth and Adult Soccer Players: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Ibnu Noufal Kambitta Valappil, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Gavoutamane Vasanthi, Masilamani Elayaraja, Cain C. T. Clark, et al.
Sports Medicine, 2026
Background Soccer is a high-intensity sport that requires high levels of physical fitness, including balance, change of direction (CoD), speed and power. The FIFA 11 + program has been widely promoted to enhance physical fitness and reduce injury occurrence. Objective This meta-analysis set out to examine how the FIFA 11 + program, implemented as a warm-up versus conventional warm-up (soccer-specific and alternative warm-ups), impacts physical fitness attributes in youth and adult soccer players. Methods After a priori defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 17 intervention studies with 611 male and female soccer players (Tier 2–4) aged 9–29 years were eligible to be included. The FIFA 11 + program implemented in the warm-up was contrasted with conventional warm-up programs (control) on outcome measures such as dynamic balance, CoD speed, linear sprint and proxies of muscle power (vertical jump height). The influence of potential moderators (e.g., training duration, frequency, session duration, age, sex, training and performance calibre) on study outcome measures was examined using subgroup analyses with the median split method. Results Findings demonstrated small-to-moderate improvements in favour of FIFA 11 + compared with conventional warm-ups on dynamic balance (small standardized mean differences [SMDs] = 0.37, p < 0.001, heterogeneity [ I 2 ] = 7), CoD speed (moderate SMDs = − 0.65, p = 0.005, I 2 = 84), and vertical jump height (small SMDs = 0.56, p < 0.001, I 2 = 71). Results from the sub-analyses showed that, for dynamic balance, shorter training durations (< 9 weeks) produced larger effects than longer durations (≥ 9 weeks) (SMDs = 0.62 versus SMDs = 0.17). For vertical jump height, < 9 weeks also yielded greater improvements (SMDs = 0.79 versus SMDs = 0.26). In terms of weekly training frequency, ≥ 3 sessions/week elicited larger gains in change-of-direction speed (SMDs = − 1.05 versus SMDs = − 0.12) and vertical jump height (SMDs = 0.73 versus SMDs = 0.01) compared with < 3 sessions/week. Regarding participant characteristics, players aged ≥ 18 years showed greater improvements than those < 18 years in change-of-direction speed (SMDs = − 1.45 versus SMDs = − 0.06) and vertical jump height (SMDs = 0.64 versus SMDs = 0.22). For sex differences, males experienced greater benefits than females in change-of-direction speed (SMDs = − 0.79 versus SMDs = − 0.04) and vertical jump height (SMDs = 0.54 versus SMDs = 0.09). Finally, higher-level players (≥ tier 3) demonstrated greater improvements in vertical jump height than lower-tier players (< Tier 3) (SMDs = 0.75 versus SMDs = 0.01). The observed benefits were statistically significant but generally of small-to-moderate magnitude and affected by study heterogeneity and program implementation differences. Most studies included male participants, limiting generalizability to female and underrepresented populations. Several studies also lacked rigorous methodological design, particularly in allocation, concealment and blinding. Reporting of training and demographic variables was often incomplete. These limitations highlight the necessity for rigorously designed, low-bias randomized controlled trials with standardized implementation of the FIFA 11 + program and thorough reporting to enhance the reliability of causal conclusions and improve clinical interpretation. Conclusion The FIFA 11 + program was more effective than conventional soccer warm-up programs to enhance soccer players’ physical fitness (i.e., dynamic balance, CoD speed, vertical jump height). A shorter training duration (< 9 weeks) and more weekly training sessions (≥ 3 sessions/week) induced larger performance effects. FIFA 11 + was more effective in older (≥ 18 years) and male players and in players of higher performance calibre (≥ Tier 3). These findings underscore the versatility of the FIFA 11 + program to improve soccer players’ physical fitness, supporting its integration into the warm-up of regular soccer training sessions. Protocol Registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42025633810 , PROSPERO: CRD42025633810. Graphical Abstract
The effect of virtual and augmented reality training on soccer players: a systematic review of cognitive-motor performance
Ana Paludo, Adam Lipčák, Koulla Parpa, Elisavet Kyprianidou, Marios Avraamides
Biology of Sport, 2026
Heart rate variability in female soccer players, before, during, and after a COVID-19 positive test
Koulla Parpa, Ana C. Paludo, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Georgian Badicu, Marcos Michaelides
Scientific Reports, 2025
Impact of COVID-19 infection on physical performance of soccer players: a. systematic review
Koulla Parpa, Marcos A. Michaelides, Ana Carolina Paludo, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Konstantina Intziegianni
International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2025
This review sought to identify the impact of COVID-19 infection on the physical performance parameters of soccer players. The systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines. The following databases were searched up to the end of October 2024: MEDLINE, Scopus, Mendeley, SPORTDiscus, and Google Scholar. Studies conducted on professional and semi-professional adult male soccer players were considered. For a study to be included, it had to report at least one outcome measure both before and after COVID-19 infection. At the end of the screening procedure, a total of 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. The reviewed studies on V̇O2 max showed mixed results. One study reported a significant (p<0.01) decrease 60 days post-infection, while others found no change or even an increase 1-year post-pandemic. Pulmonary function assessment revealed a significant (p<0.01) increase in respiratory work, whereas one study found no significant changes at rest. GPS (Global Positioning System) -based studies reported a significant (p<0.05) reduction in high-intensity accelerations, decelerations, and high-speed running post-COVID-19, while one study found no differences between infected and non-infected players. Strength, power, and anaerobic power showed no significant decline. These findings should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample sizes and limited number of studies.
The use of horizontal force-velocity profile in soccer: a rapid systematic review
Adam Lipčák, Lucie Lipková, Tomáš Kalina, Marcos Michaelides, Koulla Parpa, et al.
BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2025
An Exploratory Study of Biceps Brachii Electromyographic Activity During Traditional Dumbbell Versus Bayesian Cable Curls
Koulla Parpa, Antreas Vasiliou, Marcos Michaelides, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Anton Chernov, et al.
Muscles, 2025
Although previous studies have examined various factors that influence biceps brachii activation, such as grip position, load, and exercise variation, to our knowledge, no prior studies have compared muscle activation during a traditional biceps curl and a Bayesian cable curl. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the differences in biceps brachii muscle activation between these two training modalities. Data from eleven volunteers (age: 25 ± 6 y; weight: 86 ± 13 kg; height: 177 ± 8 cm) were included in the analysis. Muscle activity was assessed using the normalized root mean square (RMS) values obtained from surface electromyography (sEMG). A within-subjects, counterbalanced design was utilized where all participants completed both testing conditions in a randomized order to control for potential order effects. Participants visited the laboratory and fitness center on two occasions. On the first day, anthropometric measurements were obtained, along with one repetition maximum (1-RM) for both the dumbbell biceps curl and the Bayesian curl. On the second day, participants performed an isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), followed by electromyographic assessment of muscle activity during the dumbbell biceps curl and the Bayesian curl, each performed at 80% of their respective 1-RM. When the normal distribution was confirmed via the Shapiro–Wilk test (p > 0.05), a paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. On the other hand, when normality was not confirmed, the Wilcoxon test was utilized. Statistically significant differences (p = 0.003) were observed in the EMG amplitude (%) between the biceps curl (111.46 ± 26.80) and the Bayesian curl (93.39 ± 15.65) with a large effect size (d = 0.82). Based on the EMG analysis, the dumbbell biceps curl elicited significantly greater muscle activation compared to the Bayesian curl, suggesting that the conventional movement places a higher mechanical and neuromuscular demand on the biceps brachii.
Digit Ratio (2D:4D) and lactate response during a football-specific intermittent field fitness test in women
Hadi Nobari, Elena Mainer-Pardos, Demetrio Lozano, John T. Manning, Koulla Parpa, et al.
Early Human Development, 2025
The impact of regular moderate-to-intermediate intensity exercise on controlled Hashimoto's diseased and/or hypothyroid female patients on thyroid hormones, resting metabolic rate, and heart rate variability: A pilot study
S. Antoniou, M. Michaelides, C. Tymvios, E. Ellina, K. Parpa
Science and Sports, 2025
Effect of Plant-Based Proteins on Recovery from Resistance Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Healthy Young Adults—A Systematic Review
Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Koulla Parpa, Borko Katanic, Cain C. T. Clark, Masilamani Elayaraja, et al.
Nutrients, 2025
The Impact of Managerial Changes on Physical Performance in Elite Soccer Players
Dennis Petrov, Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
Sports, 2025
Effects of Resistance Training on Sarcopenia Risk Among Healthy Older Adults: A Scoping Review of Physiological Mechanisms
Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Chythra R. Rao, Baskaran Chandrasekaran, Koulla Parpa, Urs Granacher
Life, 2025
Is digit ratio (2D:4D) a biomarker for lactate in women? Evidence from a cardiopulmonary test on professional female footballers
John T. Manning, Koulla Parpa, Laura Mason, Hadi Nobari, Elena Mainer Pardos, et al.
Early Human Development, 2025
Knee Mechanics, Strength and Flexibility: Assessing Injury Risk in Female Adolescent Soccer Players
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 2025
The Effect of Leisure-Time Exercise on Mental Health Among Adults: A Bibliometric Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Masilamani Elayaraja, Abderraouf Ben Abderrahman, Koulla Parpa, Borko Katanic, et al.
Healthcare Switzerland, 2025
Lactate Profiling and the Agreement Among Various Lactate Threshold Methods in Professional and Youth Soccer Players
Marcos Michaelides, Koulla Parpa
Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2025
The effects of complex training on performance variables in basketball players: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Ibnu Noufal Kambitta Valappil, Koulla Parpa, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Borko Katanic, Cain C. T. Clark, et al.
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2025
Correlation Between Propulsive Velocity, Maximum Velocity, and Power and the 2D:4D Ratio in Paralympic Powerlifting Athletes
Álvaro Fontes da Silva Neto, Felipe J. Aidar, Ângelo de Almeida Paz, Jymmys L. Santos, Raphael Fabricio de Souza, et al.
Biomed Research International, 2025
The effects of kettlebell training versus resistance training using the own body mass on physical fitness and physiological adaptations in obese adults: a randomized controlled trial
Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Hemantajit Gogoi, Nidhal Jebabli, Sultan Mansour Bediri, Mohammed Aljahni, et al.
BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2024
The effect of an 8-week fitness regime on low back pain and core strength in high-risk professionals
Sotos P. ANTONIOU, Koulla M. PARPA, Marcos A. MICHAELIDES
Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 2024
Ventilatory thresholds in professional female soccer players
Koulla Parpa, Marcos A. Michaelides
International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2024
Poor Eating Habits and Low Physical Activity Contribute to Weight Excess and Increase Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents Practicing Soccer as a Recreational Sport
Ikram Bezrati, Raouf Hammami, Halil İbrahim Ceylan, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Mohamed K. Ben Fradj, et al.
Children, 2024
The associations between digit ratio (2D:4D and right – left 2D:4D), maximal oxygen consumption and ventilatory thresholds in professional male football players
Koulla Parpa, John T. Manning, Magdalena Kobus, Laura Mason, Marcos Michaelides
American Journal of Human Biology, 2024
Is digit ratio (2D:4D) a biomarker for lactate? Evidence from a cardiopulmonary test on professional male footballers
John T. Manning, Koulla Parpa, Magdalena Kobus, Laura Mason, Marcos Michaelides
Early Human Development, 2024
Age-Related Differences in Physical Fitness and Performance of an “Ability Test” among Firefighters
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
Muscles, 2024
Seasonal Variation and the Effect of the Transition Period on Physical Fitness Parameters in Youth Female Soccer Players
Koulla Parpa, Borko Katanic, Marcos Michaelides
Sports, 2024
Immediate Effect of Uddiyana Bandha on Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Hypertension: A Randomised Controlled Study
Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Dilpreet Kaur, Masilamani Elayaraja, Deepika Sethi, Shantichitra Kalidas, et al.
Annals of Neurosciences, 2024
Description of the menstrual cycle status, energy availability, eating behavior and physical performance in a youth female soccer team
Ana Carolina Paludo, Marta Gimunová, Marcos Michaelides, Magdalena Kobus, Koulla Parpa
Scientific Reports, 2023
No Pain no Game or More Game More Pain The Effects of Summer Congested Games Periods on Professional European Male Football Players' Injury Occurrences for the Following Season: A Data Analytics Approach
Andria Procopiou, Koulla Parpa
International Conference on Sport Sciences Research and Technology Support Icsports Proceedings, 2023
Relationship between Physical Performance, Anthropometric Measurements and Stroke Velocity in Youth Tennis Players
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides, Dennis Petrov, Christos Kyrillou, Ana C. Paludo
Sports, 2023
Changes in Counter Movement Jump Height, Takeoff Force and Maximum Concentric Power of Collegiate Athletes After Two Sessions Per Week Plyometric Training on Different Training Surfaces
Poli Borah, Lakshyajit Gogoi, Hemantajit Gogoi, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Sambhu Prasad, et al.
Slobozhanskyi Herald of Science and Sport, 2023
Yoga and Physical Exercises as Immunogenic Fortifiers for Coronavirus Vaccine Responses
Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Hassane Zouhal, Dilpreet Kaur, Aakash Dhiman, Vikas Singh, et al.
International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 2023
Aerobic capacity of professional soccer players before and after COVID-19 infection
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
Scientific Reports, 2022
Primary Headaches and Physical Performance: A Professional Youth Female Soccer Team Study
Magdalena Kobus, Elżbieta Żądzińska, Marcos Michaelides, Koulla Parpa
Brain Sciences, 2022
Comparison of Ventilatory and Blood Lactate Thresholds in Elite Soccer Players
University of Central Lancashire - Cyprus Campus, University Avenue 12-14, 7080 Pyla, Cyprus, Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides, University of Central Lancashire - Cyprus Campus, University Avenue 12-14, 7080 Pyla, Cyprus
Sport Mont, 2022
External Load Seasonal Variations and Positional Differences in Elite Soccer Players
niversity of Central Lancashire - Cyprus Campus, University Avenue 12-14, 7080 Pyla, Cyprus, Dennis Petrov, Marcos Michaelides, niversity of Central Lancashire - Cyprus Campus, University Avenue 12-14, 7080 Pyla, Cyprus, Koulla Parpa, et al.
Sport Mont, 2022
The Effectiveness of an Isokinetic Training Protocol on Muscular Imbalances in Professional Soccer Players Following an ACL Reconstruction
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 2022
Anterior-Posterior and Inter-Limb Lower Body Strength Asymmetry in Soccer, Basketball, Futsal, and Volleyball Players
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
Medicina Lithuania, 2022
Maximal Aerobic Power Using the Modified Heck Protocol: Prediction Models
Koulla Parpa, Marcos A. Michaelides
International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022
Relationship of Pre-Season Strength Asymmetries, Flexibility and Aerobic Capacity with In-Season Lower Body Injuries in Soccer Players
University of Central Lancashire - Cyprus Campus, Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides, University of Central Lancashire - Cyprus Campus
Sport Mont, 2022
Age-Related Differences in the Anthropometric and Physical Fitness Characteristics of Young Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Study
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
Children, 2022
ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS AND AEROBIC PERFORMANCE OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYERS BY PLAYING POSITION AND AGE
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
Human Movement, 2022
Effects of an 8-Week Pre-seasonal Training on the Aerobic Fitness of Professional Soccer Players
Marcos A. Michaelides, Koulla M. Parpa, Anthos I. Zacharia
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2021
The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on professional soccer players' body composition and physical fitness
Koulla Parpa, Marcos Michaelides
Biology of Sport, 2021
The Effect of Transition Period on Performance Parameters in Elite Female Soccer Players
Koulla Parpa, Marcos A. Michaelides
International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2020
Assessment of Lower Body and Abdominal Strength in Professional Soccer Players
Marcos A. Michaelides, Koulla M. Parpa, Anthos I. Zacharia
Journal of Human Kinetics, 2019
Assessment of physical fitness aspects and their relationship to firefighters' job abilities
Marcos A Michaelides, Koulla M Parpa, Leah J Henry, Gerald B Thompson, Barry S Brown
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2011
The effects of aerobic interval training on the left ventricular morphology and function of VLCAD-deficient mice
Charles E. Riggs, Marcos A. Michaelides, Koulla M. Parpa, Nancy J. Smith-Blair
European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2010
Effect of high intensity interval training on heart rate variability in individuals with type 2 diabetes
Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 2009
Predicting performance on a firefghter's ability test from fitness parameters
Marcos A. Michaelides, Koulla M. Parpa, Jerald Thompson, Barry Brown
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 2008

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