Projects

Wearable Sensor-Based Biomechanical Analysis and Educational Lessons in SLO County Elementary and Middle Schools

Measuring Gait of TKA Patients Pre-op and Post-op Using a Smartphone

In this study, we are conducting gait trials for patients in a local orthopedic surgery clinic before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery using the OneStep smartphone app. We have validated various gait parameters in the app against motion capture technology, and are measuring differences in gait parameters between pre-operative, 2-weeks post-operative, and 6-weeks post-operative appointments.

Measuring Spine Postures in Farmworkers using Wearable IMUs

We are validating the use of multiple inertial measurement units (IMUs) placed along the spine to measure forward bending, lateral bending, axial rotation, and combined loading postures. After validation, we plan to have farmworking women (via Cal Poly's Mobile Health Unit) wear the system of IMUs during their workdays to assess harmful postures.

Additional Gait and Balance Studies

Our lab is currently conducting a number of additional gait and balance-related studies, including measuring gait parameters in runners, developing a balance measurement smartphone app for patients with balance disorders, and more. 

Youth Pitching Mechanics

Several studies conducted over the past few years on youth pitching biomechanics, with the aim of improving evidence-based injury prevention guidelines for youth baseball and softball pitchers.

Motion Analysis and Inverse Dynamics of Knee Joint Biomechanics

Funded research projects to calculate knee joint biomechanics in populations whom are at high risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Reducing Errors Due to Soft Tissue Artifacts (STA)

Ongoing studies that have used nonlinear continuum mechanics to develop algorithms that correct for STA, which is considered a leading source of error in motion analysis studies.

Reducing Errors Due to Crosstalk

Crosstalk arises due to errors in defining the knee flexion-extension axis. Briefly, errors in locating the flexion-extension axis via misaligned markers on the knee may lead to substantial errors in the measurement of knee varus-valgus angles. This results in a strong, anatomically inaccurate correlation between flexion-extension and varus-valgus motions of the knee, which is considered the “hallmark” of crosstalk in motion analysis studies.

A statistical technique employing linear algebra called Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has been implemented to reduce crosstalk errors. PCA is implemented as a post-hoc correction technique on knee angles that results in a new set of corrected, uncorrelated knee angles.

Kaila Lawson, Harsh Goel and Jordan Skaro developed custom MATLAB codes and protocols for using PCA to correct for crosstalk errors in gait, cycling, and elliptical training exercises.

Whole Knee Joint Finite Element (FE) Modeling

Mechanical engineering graduate students created several participant-specific whole knee joint FE models to compare tissue stresses caused by different exercises.

Whole Hip Joint Finite Element (FE) Modeling

Experimental Measurement of Evolving Articular Cartilage Properties During In Vitro Growth

Studies aimed to conduct in vitro growth protocols and measure articular cartilage (AC) structure-function relations.

Modeling Articular Cartilage Growth with a Cartilage Growth Finite Element (FE) Model

Development of a cartilage growth finite element model (CGFEM) to solve non-homogeneous and time-dependent growth boundary value problems.