Washington University in St. Louis (WU)
Our laboratory is interested in understanding the interaction of biomechanical and neural control factors in the mechanisms underlying musculoskeletal pain problems. Currently our work is focused on studies of this interaction in people with low back pain and neck pain. A particular area of interest is how function of the the proximal joints, e.g., hip and shoulder girdle, influence the spine and contribute to spinal pain problems. Both clinical and laboratory measures as well as imaging are used to examine these issues. The long-term goal of our studies is to improve outcomes of preventive and rehabilitative management strategies.