The biomechanics lab allows researchers to document how the body is responding to certain activities through 24 high-speed cameras with 3D motion analysis capabilities and review each movement through an aerial view and profile treadmill views.
doing so in that amount of time is unreal. That kind of service, dedication and smooth operation blows me away.” This lab is one of the most advanced of its kind with state-of-the-art equipment and 13,150 square feet. There are three parts that make up the lab: biomechanics, physiology and a clinical aspect where patients with orthopedic and sports injuries can be rehabilitated or trained to avoid injury. Its technology and capabilities have allowed HPU faculty to create collaborative research endeavors with universities across the world, including the University of Otago in New Zealand. “You’ll look back on this as a key milestone in the development of what I’m personally convinced will become recognized as one of the premier institutions for physical therapy education, practice and research, not just in the U.S., but internationally,” said Dr. David Baxter, dean of the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago in New Zealand, at the lab’s grand opening. But what does human biomechanics and physiology actually mean? It is the study of the human body’s major functions, skeletal, cardiovascular, and muscular systems how they move and react. The lab allows faculty members to examine clinical questions through the lens of biomechanics and physiology. The interdisciplinary and cohesive nature of the faculty and their dedication to the students in a facility with the best equipment takes experiential learning to a new level. The group of esteemed faculty comes to HPU from institutions such as Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the University of Otago in New Zealand. High Point University Magazine
The environmental chamber in the lab is used to study the body’s response to temperature extremes, high altitude and air pollution, all of which the chamber can simulate.
The equipment includes: a 24-camera motion capture and analysis system; an environmental chamber that allows for study of the body’s reaction to changes in temperature, humidity and altitude change; a DEXA scanner to measure bone density testing and body fat; and an “anti-gravity” treadmill. With this equipment, students can be involved in impactful research including injury prevention, rehabilitation and the effects of supplements on performance and recovery. The research will benefit active people from professional athletes to weekend warriors who suffer pain and injury by providing new examination and treatment methods. Faculty members are already conducting groundbreaking research in the lab and determining their ability to predict performance and/or injury. Two funded studies will begin soon on spinal mobilization and the effect of different shoes on lower extremity biomechanics. In the future, faculty hope to conduct research that will benefit the aging baby boomer population, who are staying active longer and are thus more prone to injury. There are also plans to one day help people with diseases such as cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, or those who have suffered a stroke by finding interventions that will help improve their quality of movement. “Why is this lab significant? Because it will change lives,” said Dr. Daniel Erb, dean of the School of Health Sciences, at the lab’s grand opening. “It already has improved performance of athletes here and in the community and worked to decrease injuries. And it won’t just impact those we call athletes. Research here will be translated to people outside of athletics to improve their lives, too.” ■ highpoint.edu
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