BMECHE Research Seminar - Kristin Morgan (UConn)
Kristin Morgan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
University of Connecticut
Using BME Modeling Tools to Aid in the Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Orthopedic Injuries
Over 250,000 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries occur every year in the United States alone, costing over $1.5 million dollars in rehabilitation and reconstruction care. However, despite extensive rehabilitation, upwards of 56% of individuals fail to return to their previous functional levels years after treatment due to lingering neuromuscular impairments. These impairments result in inactivity and the development of osteoarthritis (OA), osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease, which are estimated to cost $62.1 billion, $14 billion, and $316.6 billion, respectively, a year in their own right. Thus, the total cost of these injuries indicates a much bigger problem than we realize. The prevalence of early onset OA in the post-ACL reconstruction population indicates the need for a better understanding of the relationship between neuromuscular control and musculoskeletal dynamics to improve the effectiveness of post-ACL injury rehabilitation care. Therefore, the objective of our work is to pioneer new post-ACL reconstruction rehabilitation modalities that produce positive gait adaptations by combining innovative experimental studies, machine learning, and computation modeling to engineer novel gait protocols and devices that better support the knee by engaging muscles during dynamic movement.
Event Snapshot
When and Where
Who
Open to the Public
Interpreter Requested?
No