Posture

We study how stability of the whole body and of the trunk is maintained against gravity, what sensory information and motor strategies are used to this end and how this is affected by injury, ageing and disease, but also by training.

Identification of trunk postural control mechanisms

In this project, we have developed methods to identify trunk muscle control based on mechanical perturbations of the trunk and measurements of resulting kinematics and muscle activity and a neurophysiological model of trunk control to obtain a better understanding of how trunk posture is maintained in healthy subjects and how this control is impaired in patients with low-back pain and movement disorders

Learning to balance

In this project, we will study short- and long-term training in young and older adults, to determine the psychological (fear of falling), neurophysiological (reflex gains, muscle synergies) and biomechanical (motor strategies) correlates of improved balance performance

Balance testing

In this project we aim to develop outcome measures of static single leg balance tests and dynamic single leg landing tasks to evaluate sensorimotor control, more specifically the ability of an individual to stabilize posture, suitable for large-scale assessment of performance and injury risk in athletes, and for evaluation of recovery after injury