Home page for Finni

Taija Juutinen (official name) 
Taija Finni (name used in scientific conduct), Ph.D. Docent
Professor of Kinesiology
Vice dean responsible of education
Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences
Biology of Physical Activity
Neuromuscular Research Center
University of Jyväskylä
PO Box 35 (VIV 227)
40014 Jyväskylän yliopisto
Finland

e-mail:taija.finni@jyu.fi                               
tel:  +358-40-55 66 582            Orcid ID: 0000-0002-7697-2813

On 11.3.2015 she received an award in recognition of credits in research from Ellen & Artturi Nyyssönen foundation. 

Main research themes

Achilles tendon research has been my interest since my PhD where I utilized in vivo force transducers to assess forces in humans. I have published critical reviews related to methodology of assessing tendon properties, and examined internal tendon movement in rats and in humans. Current project related to Achilles tendon research are UNRESAT and ACHILLES.

Physical activity-related research has taken many paths including assessing muscle inactivity and activity during daily life (EMG 24-study, InPact, CHIPASE projects).

Neuromuscular function-theme contains several smaller projects, often done with students. EXECP project examining effects of exercise on children and young adults with cerebral palsy has been going for 6 years and is in a reporting and dissemination phase.

Current research projects

  • ACHILLES - project 1 aims to develop a new USTIM method to map the 3D structure of the Achilles tendon in vivo. Project 2 examines the loading and recovery of tendon from acute exercise.  
  • UNRESAT - Understanding restoration of Achilles tendon function after rupture 2019-2023. Funded by Academy of Finland. 
    • Project contains biomechanical assessments in a prospective cohort study NoARC - Non-Operative treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures in Central Finland which is done in collaboration with Central Finland Hospital. PhD students Raad Khair and Maria Sukanen 
  • EXECP - Effects of a tailored exercise therapy intervention on physical capacity and function, neuromuscular mechanisms and cardiometabolic risk factors of chilfren and young adults with cerebral palsy. PhD. students Pedro Valadao and Alfredo Ruiz.

Previous research projects 

  • CHIPASE - Children's physical activity spectrum: daily variations in physical activity and sedentary patterns related to school indoor physical environment 2017-2020. Funding by Ministry of Education of Culture. PhD student Jani Hartikainen.
  • HERMO - Nerve conduction velocity in different aged people. Commissioned research by Myontec Oy.  
  • OPENKIN - Sensor fusion for kinesiology research. Consortium with Tampere Technical University.1.9.2015-31.8.2019. Funding by Academy of Finland.
  • EMG 24-study uses muscle EMG measurements to quantify physical activity and inactivity during daily life. Ph.D. student Olli Tikkanen
  • InPact-study is a family-based tailored counseling RCT investigating associations between physical activity and well being. Ph.D. students Arto Pesola and Arto Laukkanen. Ph.D. student Gao Ying extends this concept to occupational settings.
  • Projects on basic muscle-tendon function focus on calf muscles with graduated Ph.D. students Lauri Stenroth, Tahir Masood and Jussi Peltonen, and in collaboration with Dr. Huub Maas (VU Amsterdam), Prof. Robert Herbert and Dr. Bart Bolsterlee (NeurA, Australia), Prof. Glen Lichtwark and Prof. Andy Cresswell (University of Queensland, Australia)

Media visibility

Presentation at meeting organized by International Women in Biomechanics, May 2023: Modern Understanding of the Achilles Tendon Properties in Human Movement Research - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLH8TJifAi8

Podcast on Achilles tendon (in Finnish)

Press release of InPact intervention results (in Finnish)

Selected publications - Publications in Tutka

Maas H, Finni T. (2018) Mechanical coupling between muscle-tendon units reduces peak stresses. Exercise and Sport Science Reviews. Jan;46(1):26-33.

Finni, T., Komi, P.V. and Lepola, V. (2000) In vivo human triceps surae and quadriceps femoris muscle function in squat jump, counter movement jump and hopping. European Journal of Applied Physiology 83, 416-426.

Finni, T., Hodgson, J.A., Lai, A., Edgerton, V.R. and Sinha, S. (2003) Nonuniform strain of human soleus aponeurosis-tendon complex during submaximal voluntary contractions in vivo. Journal of Applied Physiology Aug, 95: 829 - 837.

Finni, T. (2006) Structural and functional features of human muscle tendon unit. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 16: 147-158.

Finni T, Kovanen V, Ronkainen PHA, Pöllänen E, Bashford GR, Kaprio J, Alén M, Kujala UM, Sipilä S. (2009) Combination of hormone replacement therapy and high physical activity is associated with differences in Achilles tendon cross-sectional area in identical female twin pairs. Journal of Applied Physiology 106(4):1332-7.

T. Finni, P. Haakana, A. J. Pesola, T. Pullinen: Exercise for fitness does not decrease the muscular inactivity time during normal daily life. Scand J Med Sci Sport 2014, 24:211-219. 

Background

Dr. Finni completed her doctorate in biomechanics at the University of Jyväskylä in 2001 under supervision of Prof. Paavo Komi. She pursued her post doctoral studies at the University of California, Los Angeles with Prof. Reggie V. Edgerton and Prof. Shantanu Sinha at the Department of Physiological Sciences and Radiological Sciences. She also worked as a senior researcher at the Department of Health Sciences before rejoining the Department of Biology of Physical Activity where she has held positions such as lecturer, senior assistant and associate professor. She helds a docentship in exercise physiology at the University of Eastern Finland.

She is active in international organizations (International Society of Biomechanics, European College of Sport Science) and belongs to editorial board of Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Clinical Biomechanics.

She is vice dean responsible of education since 1.4.2020.