Research Interest

The etiology of lower extremity overuse injuries and degenerative pathologies is believed to be multi-factorial including: past history of injury, poor gait mechanics, abnormal lower extremity alignment, strength deficit, neuromuscular control deficit, and limited range of motion. Moreover, the inter-relationships among these potential risk factors have not been established making it difficult to develop a rehabilitation strategy that is most effective to the specific injuries and pathologies.

I have developed a line of research examining the influence of gait, range of motion, strength and alignment characteristics on lower extremity injuries by assessing both the direct and indirect relationships among those measures using structural equation modeling (SEM) during my graduate study. The specific injury model I examined was medial tibial stress syndrome. However, this method can be applied to other pathologies such as tibial stress fracture, patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis. Therefore, my short term goal of post-dissertation research includes identifying predisposed risk factors of various lower extremity pathologies utilizing SEM.

My ultimate goal of research is associated with development of rehabilitation and prevention strategies of lower extremity overuse and degenerative injuries. Therefore, the subsequent studies can be conducted on the basis of findings from risk factor studies. This leads me to prospective randomized control trials assessing intervention program which include effectiveness of neuromuscular training, verbal cues, and orthotic intervention using various measurement techniques including gait analysis and balance measures.

This line of research may lead to the development of more advanced rehabilitation and prevention programs for clinicians who are treating lower extremity overuse injuries and degenerative pathologies.