Dr. Katarzyna Piechota | Physical Culture Sciences – Assistant professor at University of Technology in Opole, Poland
Dr. Katarzyna Piechota is an esteemed researcher and academic in the field of physical culture sciences. She holds a doctoral degree in Physical Culture Sciences and has established herself as an expert in areas including neuromuscular coordination, motor skills, and sports performance, especially focusing on biomechanics and electromyography (EMG). With a career spanning multiple years, Dr. Piechota has made significant contributions to sports science, particularly in the areas of athletic performance and rehabilitation. Her work examines muscle activation and movement patterns in various sports, such as athletics and wheelchair fencing, leading to deeper insights into neuromuscular coordination and performance enhancement.
Profile:
Education:
Dr. Piechota earned her doctorate in Physical Culture Sciences from AWF Warsaw in 2016, following a comprehensive academic journey that began with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Physical Education from Opole University of Technology. Her Master’s thesis focused on athletic training and movement patterns in long and middle-distance runners, while her doctoral dissertation delved into the relationship between motor preparation and the EMG activity of upper and lower limb muscles during short-course running. Dr. Piechota’s educational path reflects her commitment to understanding human movement from both a practical and scientific perspective, and her qualifications in areas like physical education, corrective gymnastics, and athletics training showcase her versatility and depth in the field.
Experience:
Dr. Piechota’s professional experience spans multiple roles in academia, primarily as an assistant professor at Opole University of Technology. She has worked in various departments, including Physical Education and Sport, Human Motor Skills, and Anthropomotorics, where she has contributed to both teaching and research. Over the years, she has gained substantial expertise in physical education, coaching, and performance analysis. Her extensive experience in the classroom and laboratory setting, combined with her work at scientific conferences, highlights her commitment to furthering both the academic and practical aspects of physical education. Her position as an assistant professor has allowed her to mentor students and collaborate on groundbreaking research, influencing the future of sports science and rehabilitation.
Research Interests:
Dr. Piechota’s primary research interests focus on the application of biomechanics and neuromuscular coordination in sports performance. She has a particular focus on understanding muscle activation patterns through the use of surface electromyography (sEMG) and how these patterns influence athletic performance and injury prevention. She is especially interested in the way physical preparation and movement mechanics impact sprinting, wheelchair fencing, and sports in people with disabilities. Her research bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, offering insights that are used to enhance training regimens, improve athlete performance, and prevent injury in both able-bodied and disabled athletes.
Dr. Piechota has also studied the impact of aerobic and anaerobic training on athletes, including elite-level Olympic short-track speed skaters, and her interest in sports rehabilitation has made her work influential in the context of post-injury recovery. Through her research, Dr. Piechota aims to improve understanding of how sports training and rehabilitation protocols can be optimized for better athletic performance across various populations.
Awards:
While Dr. Piechota has not yet received formal awards like the Best Researcher Award, her academic and research accomplishments have placed her on the radar for such recognition. Her groundbreaking work in neuromuscular coordination and performance analysis in sports has been widely cited in research circles. She continues to gain recognition for her contributions, particularly in the field of electromyography, sports biomechanics, and sports rehabilitation. Dr. Piechota’s active participation in international conferences and her collaboration with global researchers are further testament to her growing influence and recognition within the sports science community.
Publications:
Dr. Piechota’s research has been widely published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, contributing significantly to the field of sports science. Some of her most notable works include:
-
Borysiuk, Z., Błaszczyszyn, M., Piechota, K., Abkas, A. (2025). Are technical performance differences in wheelchair fencing linked to disability categories? BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 17, article 23. [Cited by 15]
-
Piechota, K., Borysiuk, Z., Zmarzły, D., Jonek, M., Majorczyk, E. (2024). Expert and novice soccer goalkeepers’ visual perception: a practical-coaching approach eye-tracking. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport. [Cited by 12]
-
Piechota, K., Majorczyk, E. (2023). Decision-Making Time and Neuromuscular Coordination in Youth and Senior Soccer Goalkeepers. Sensors, 23(9):4483. [Cited by 10]
-
Borysiuk, Z., Blaszczyszyn, M., Piechota, K., Konieczny, M., Cynarski, W.J. (2023). Correlations between the EMG Structure of Movement Patterns and Activity of Postural Muscles in Able-Bodied and Wheelchair Fencers. Sensors, 23, 135. [Cited by 8]
-
Migała, M., Płonka-Syroka, B., Rasławska, K., Skolik, B., Spielvogel, I., Piechota, K., Hołodnik, D. (2022). Analysis of the experiences of patients in the rehabilitation period related to the COVID-19 disease. Research Square (pre-print). [Cited by 6]
-
Borysiuk, Z., Błaszczyszyn, B., Piechota, K., Nowicki, T. (2022). Movement patterns of Polish National Paralympic Team wheelchair fencers with regard to muscle activity and co-activation time. Journal of Human Kinetics. [Cited by 9]
-
Lukanowa-Jakubowska, A., Piechota, K., Grzywacz, T., Ambroży, T., Rydzik, Ł., Ozimek, M. (2022). The impact of four high-altitude training camps on the aerobic capacity of a short track Olympian – a case study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. [Cited by 7]
Conclusion:
Dr. Katarzyna Piechota’s career is marked by significant academic and professional achievements that have contributed meaningfully to the field of sports science. With a solid foundation in both practical application and theoretical research, she has gained recognition for her pioneering work in neuromuscular coordination and performance analysis in various sports disciplines. Her publications in high-impact journals and active role in international conferences have helped to shape the future of sports biomechanics and rehabilitation.