Neuromuscular Research Laboratory
Research
Dr. Ebersole's research has focused on the simultaneous recording of electromyography (EMG) and mechanomyography (MMG) in an attempt to non-invasively elucidate the electrical and mechanical components, respectively, of force production during various muscle actions. Recent projects have integrated EMG and MMG into examining various parameters of muscle function which may serve as underlying mechanisms and/or risk factors for the etiology and progression of acute and chronic injuries of the lower extremities as well as markers for improvement in muscle strength in response to rehabilitation protocols. Specific areas of interest include development of indices that discriminate between injured and uninjured muscle, skeletal muscle fatigue, non-contact ACL injuries, and patellofemoral pain.
Current Projects
“Quantitative examination of the covariation between kinematic and physiological factors that underlie the movement disabilities associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome”
Clinicians commonly use functional tasks to subjectively characterize the dysfunctional movement patterns associated with PFP. This study will quantitatively examine the covariation between kinematic and physiological factors that may underlie PFP during several functional tasks, before and after treatment for PFP. This study is a collaborative effort between Dr. Ebersole and Dr. John Polk from the Department of Anthropology.
“The influence of lower extremity strength on performance of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT)”
The SEBT has been suggested to provide a non-instrumented and clinically applicable functional task to assess postural control. The influence of lower extremity strength (hip, knee, ankle) on SEBT performance remains unclear. This October 26, 2007 extremity muscles and explore the potential influence of bilateral limb differences in strength in collegiate soccer players. This study is being led by Jenny Nyklewicz, one of the Athletic Training Master’s students, for her thesis.
