About the Gait Study Center

The Gait Study Center is devoted to promoting health and mobility through biomechanical research and education. A central theme of the laboratory is the exploration of how lower extremity structure and function, especially foot type biomechanics, relates to human movement and disability with special attention to alignment, strength, flexibility, and footwear technologies.

Objectives

• To investigate normal and impaired lower extremity structure and function by:
  • Developing techniques for measuring and characterizing normal and impaired function.
  • Identifying the role of disease (e.g., diabetes, obesity, and arthritis) and injury in causing functional limitations (disability).
  • Developing lower extremity interventions that can effectively reduce pain, improve function, promote healing, and prevent disability.
• To promote effective educational programs to reduce injury and disability resulting from diabetes, obesity, or arthritis.
• To improve footwear designs to prevent injury and improve comfort