People with an interest in exercise, or “human performance,” as some would call it, may have seen the recent experiential reporting done by Dan Childs from ABC News, as he “hit the wall”. Childs, in full workout gear, set out to test the capabilities of his body, which included a VO2 MAX evaluation, a measure of the body’s capacity to use oxygen to fuel exercise, a gait analysis, and a body movement assessment to determine risk for exercise-related injury. And from what he said, it was pretty grueling.
As a former collegiate cross country runner, I know the feeling of “hitting the wall.” I’ve undergone similar tests – which I too can attest are tough.
But what’s interesting – and what most folks might not realize – is that these tests and analyses aren’t exclusive to the elite athletic community. In fact, a motion analysis can be used to identify musculoskeletal injuries in just about any population.
Think about it: A person’s gait is just their stride, right? So for an older adult with knee or hip pain when walking, a gait analysis could help physicians and surgeons find the root of the problem. Mimicking or directly recreating the motions that cause someone pain will, theoretically, help identify the cause of said pain. Exploring and incorporating these seemingly complicated or “elite” evaluations into patient care is one of the main goals of the Penn Medicine’s new Human Motion Lab.
“We have three-pronged approach to what we want to accomplish in the lab,” said Josh Baxter, PhD, director of the lab, which is part of the Penn Musculoskeletal Center. “The first, and arguably the most important, is research. Asking really pointed questions about the musculoskeletal system that we can answer by studying human motion. This is followed closely by clinical services, like a gait assessment, and other offerings, like a throwing analysis for athletes.”
Still in its infancy, the Human Motion Lab will be designed to fit in to patient care by providing a more advanced diagnostic tool for identifying risk factors early and modifying movement patterns to prevent further injury. But at this stage, building a research portfolio and working on the final technology developments is the priority.
“Leading with research will give our team a starting point, and a place to study human movement with the intent to identify ways in which certain physical actions may impact muscle, joint and bone health,” Baxter said.
And speaking of technology, one of the offerings that will be coming down the pike – likely this spring – will be the throwing analysis.
The lab is outfitted with an overhead camera system and sensitive plates in the floor, which track the movement of the body and the shift in weight as the ball is thrown. The movement of the body during the throw is assessed electronically, which will provide a level of detail necessary to correct poor mechanics. At the end of the test, participants receive a copy of the evaluation, which for many, will help them adjust their movements and throw a better pitch.
But for those who prefer the putting green to the pitcher’s mound, the possibilities to expand the motion analysis for other actions is also in the works. From a better drive to a more accurate serve to a more fluid stride, this type of assessment will open the door to evaluate a wide variety of motions.
Baxter noted one thing that makes the lab most unique, as compared to the other small group of centers across the country, is the proximity to the clinical environment. “The access to physicians and surgeons can only stand to improve the research quality, and the accessibility for patients will make for a seamless incorporation into the line of care,” he said.
With only about eight weeks under his belt, the lab has already begun coordinating research efforts, testing the analysis technology with internal participants and collaborating with surgeons and department leadership for clinical integration.
“With this facility, and the folks involved at Penn, I have no question the lab will see success and the research conducted on site will influence the field of musculoskeletal health,” Baxter said.