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PhD Graduate Teaching Studentship (GTS) – University of Salford, UK, with Professor Chris Nester
PhD Project: The effect of foot orthotics on muscle activity and muscle properties
Supervisors: Prof Chris Nester, Dr Anmin Liu, Prof Richard Jones, Dr Gillian Crofts
Overview of the Project
The GTS project will seek to understand the effect of foot orthoses on knee and ankle muscle activity and properties. Previous work (over ten years) on the basic principles of foot biomechanics and the effects of foot orthotics, focused on movement, plantar pressure, force and joint moment data. These were based on novel bone pin studies, large population studies (e.g. n=100) and several other PhD studies. However, the one missing aspect has been the effect of orthoses on muscles of the knee and ankle and how the effect varies with systematic changes in orthotic geometry and materials.
Measurement technology was previously a barrier to progress in this research area. Whilst superficial muscles can be measured with surface electromyography (EMG), deeper lying and largely inaccessible muscles, such as tibialis posterior, are often of critical importance to understanding foot function and the subject of specific clinical presentations. The measurement approaches involved in collecting good quality invasive and ‘in-dwelling’ EMG data are complex but this technique has recently been implemented at Salford. The GTS project will therefore implement this approach alongside other measures of muscle properties such as ultrasound, and traditional measures of foot biomechanics (e.g. motion, pressure). Collectively this will offer new insight into the effect of foot orthotics on foot and leg muscles.
The GTS Scheme (please note the focus on UK and EU applicants)
Further information:
Thanks
Chris
Professor Chris Nester
Lead: Foot and Ankle Research Programme | School of Health Sciences
PO 32 Brian Blatchford Building, University of Salford, Salford M6 6PU
c.j.nester@salford.ac.uk | https://twitter.com/rhs067
PhD Project: The effect of foot orthotics on muscle activity and muscle properties
Supervisors: Prof Chris Nester, Dr Anmin Liu, Prof Richard Jones, Dr Gillian Crofts
Overview of the Project
The GTS project will seek to understand the effect of foot orthoses on knee and ankle muscle activity and properties. Previous work (over ten years) on the basic principles of foot biomechanics and the effects of foot orthotics, focused on movement, plantar pressure, force and joint moment data. These were based on novel bone pin studies, large population studies (e.g. n=100) and several other PhD studies. However, the one missing aspect has been the effect of orthoses on muscles of the knee and ankle and how the effect varies with systematic changes in orthotic geometry and materials.
Measurement technology was previously a barrier to progress in this research area. Whilst superficial muscles can be measured with surface electromyography (EMG), deeper lying and largely inaccessible muscles, such as tibialis posterior, are often of critical importance to understanding foot function and the subject of specific clinical presentations. The measurement approaches involved in collecting good quality invasive and ‘in-dwelling’ EMG data are complex but this technique has recently been implemented at Salford. The GTS project will therefore implement this approach alongside other measures of muscle properties such as ultrasound, and traditional measures of foot biomechanics (e.g. motion, pressure). Collectively this will offer new insight into the effect of foot orthotics on foot and leg muscles.
The GTS Scheme (please note the focus on UK and EU applicants)
Further information:
Thanks
Chris
Professor Chris Nester
Lead: Foot and Ankle Research Programme | School of Health Sciences
PO 32 Brian Blatchford Building, University of Salford, Salford M6 6PU
c.j.nester@salford.ac.uk | https://twitter.com/rhs067