Clinical Movement Sciences

Whether it’s a lower limb prosthesis to walk on, an arm prosthesis to grasp with, or a wheelchair to roll around, all these forms of assistive technology help to enhance the mobility of people in need of it. The efficacy of these devices depends not only on the capacity of the device, but also on the capacity of the user and especially the interaction between user and device. As Human movement scientists our group is well suited to bridge the gap between biomedical and engineering perspectives by developing new knowledge from different theoretical backgrounds and perspectives in order enhance assistive technology and training.

This research unit focuses on neuro-musculoskeletal modeling of the human body to prevent injury and improve performance. By studying how the neuro-musculoskeletal system generates movement and interacts with the environment, we investigate the impact of deficits in joint coordination, muscle strength, and other motor impairments on movement. Our goal is to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of neuro-musculoskeletal diseases such as knee joint injuries, clubfoot deformity or stroke.

A primary goal of clinical movement sciences is to restore functional ability of those suffering from a movement disorder or movement impairment. Daily life functions that could be performed before the occurrence of the impairment, must be performed with an impaired movement system. Hence, restoration of function requires learning to perform goal-directed movements with an impaired movement system. Note that impairments occurring at a young age might affect motor developmental processes. Therefore, in our research program we exploit and develop knowledge on motor control, motor learning and motor development to develop a fundamental basis to develop training protocols that can be used in rehabilitation.

Physical exercise is important for everyone, also for persons with chronic impairments or diseases. From hospital stay, rehabilitation, daily living up to the level of Paralympics, physical exercise is an important way to enhance health and functioning. Our research unit focuses on exercise testing and training to monitor fitness and improve physical capacity. By combining knowledge of exercise physiology and movement analysis we aim to understand the underlying mechanisms of exercise limitation and develop testing and training tools that effectively address these limitations. With this we aim to enhance health and functioning and promote and facilitate an active lifestyle.