Our research focuses on understanding how individuals with and without functional impairments control locomotor tasks, and how this knowledge can be applied to develop strategies for clinical gait rehabilitation and athletic training in these populations. Currently, we are conducting the following research projects.
The goal of this project is to characterize gait mechanics and establish scientific evidence to support gait rehabilitation for individuals with lower extremity amputation in clinical settings. Our recent studies have demonstrated unique compensatory strategies used by individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation during sit-to-stand tasks, quiet standing, and level walking at various speeds. Additionally, we identified a relationship between gait asymmetry and individual demographic factors.
"Our research includes an investigation into the biomechanical adaptations to carbon-fiber running-specific prostheses (RSPs). Currently, our team is examining performance progression across past Paralympic Games, asymmetric running strategies, mechanisms for maintaining straight-line motion, and fall risk assessment. This information will contribute to a deeper understanding of adaptive prosthetic control and is expected to support the development of improved RSP designs.
"Spring-like leg behavior is a fundamental characteristic of bouncing gaits such as running, hopping, and jumping. In biomechanics, these movements are often modeled using a spring-mass system, where the body mass is supported by a massless linear spring. Our research has shown that leg stiffness—the stiffness of the leg spring—varies in response to different physiological and biomechanical demands.
"General locomotion studies typically require subject recruitment and experimentation in laboratory and/or field settings, which can introduce human error and pose a risk of injury. However, the recent development of open-source biomechanics datasets has transformed data collection and analysis in the field. We utilize publicly available datasets—including video footage, ground reaction forces, and motion capture data—to investigate the biomechanical principles of human locomotion.
