Mayrena Hernandez

Mayrena

Mayrena Hernandez, PhD, MPH, LAT, ATC

Assistant Professor in Athletic Training

Department of Kinesiology

 mih012@shsu.edu | 936-294-1160 | LDB 107S

Curriculum Vitae

Bio

Dr. Hernandez earned her doctorate in Kinesiology with an emphasis in biomechanics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in May 2022. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from the University of Texas–Arlington in 2016. In 2018, she graduated from Kansas State University with her master’s in public health. Dr. Hernandez worked as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the cross country and track and field men’s and women’s team during her time at Kansas State. During her time at UW-Madison she was a research assistant in the Wisconsin Injury in Sport Laboratory, teaching assistant for various courses, and a University Health Services/UW RecWell athletic trainer for their walk-in clinic. Dr. Hernandez is the director of the Healthy Activity toward Promoting Injury Reduction (HAPIR) lab. Dr. Hernandez's research focuses on mixed-methods studies that examine how low socioeconomic status and/or minority race/ethnicity youth athlete families are impacted by the negative consequences of sport specialization. Additionally, she is interested in how athletic trainers’ clinical decisions may be impacted by a youth athletes’ socioeconomic status.

Education

  • PhD, Kinesiology with an emphasis in Biomechanics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, 2022

  • MPH, Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Nutrition, Kansas State University, KS, 2018

  • BS, Athletic Training with Honors, University of Texas at Arlington, TX, 2016

Areas of Expertise

  • Athletic Training

  • Public Health

  • Youth Sports Injuries

Selected Publications

  • Biese KM, Winans M, Hernandez MI, Schaefer DA, Post EG, Sanfilippo JL, Bell DR. (2021) Comparing High School Sport Specialization Trends Between Division I and Club Collegiate Athletes. Sports Health

  • Biese KM, Winans M*, Hernandez MI, Schaefer DA, Bell DR. (2020) The Association of High School Sport Participation and Injury History in Collegiate Club Sport Athletes. Journal of Athletic Training JAT0021-21R1

  • Hernandez MI, Post EG, Biese KM, Schaefer DA, Bell DR, Brooks MA (2020) Perceptions of Factors Related to Sports Specialization between Parents and Children. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation JSR.2019-0357

  • Biese KM, Post EG, Schaefer DA, Hernandez MI, Brooks MA, McGuine TA, Bell DR (2020) Evaluation of Adolescent Sport Specialization and Injury Mechanism by Sex: A Secondary Analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport JSAMS_2019-822-R2

  • Lisee C, Montoye AHK, Lewallen NF, Hernandez MI, Bell DR, Kuenze C (2020). Assessment of Free-Living Step Accumulation using Actigraph Accelerometers among Individuals with ACL Reconstruction. Journal of Athletic Training JAT0425-19