Browsing Theses by Subject "biomechanics"
Now showing items 1-20 of 43
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Age-related changes in the control of mediolateral dynamic stability during volitional and reactive stepping
(University of Waterloo, 2012-04-23)The high incidence of falls and fall-related injuries among Canadians over the age of 65 continues to be a key public health issue. As the current proportion of individuals within this cohort of the population is predicted ... -
Analysis of high and low physical functioning breast cancer survivors within two years of treatment
(University of Waterloo, 2017-08-29)The five year survivorship rate of females diagnosed with breast cancer is 88% across Canada (Canadian Cancer Society, 2015). Often, treatments can cause damage to the tissue which may lead to impairment of upper limb ... -
Assessment Methods for Advanced Masonry Work Systems
(University of Waterloo, 2021-03-19)The physically strenuous and demanding nature of construction tasks exposes workers to injury risks, can reduce productivity, and contributes to undesirable early retirement. In spite of these risks, human performance in ... -
Breast cancer survivor functional changes immediately following treatment: quantifying mechanisms of strength deficits and compensatory kinematic and muscular strategy adaptations
(University of Waterloo, 2021-11-04)Breast cancer is prevalent among Canadian women, but treatments may cause functional impairments among survivors. Over 22,000 Canadian women join the survivor population yearly (Brenner et al., 2020). Despite this substantial ... -
A combined in vivo and in vitro approach to assess supraspinatus activation and tissue responses to arm elevation demands
(University of Waterloo, 2020-01-22)Rotator cuff degeneration affects a large portion of the human population, yet knowledge surrounding which loading scenarios allow transition from healthy to diseased states remains largely unresolved. Mechanistic progression ... -
Compensatory movement simulation of subacromial impingement syndrome kinematics using an asymptomatic group for rehabilitative shoulder exercises
(University of Waterloo, 2021-01-27)Rotator cuff tears are a common source of shoulder pain that requires conservative management or surgical intervention to heal and regain proper function. During both interventions, prescribed exercise programs are given ... -
Contact Modelling for Forward Dynamics of Human Motion
(University of Waterloo, 2017-02-15)Multibody forward dynamics models of the human body are often used in predictive simulations of human motion. An important component of these models is contact modelling. For example, foot-ground contact plays a crucial ... -
Contributions of Muscle, Skin, and Adipose Tissue to Indentation Response, Assessed with Computational Arm Model Under Quasi Static Conditions
(University of Waterloo, 2019-09-20)Computational Human Body Models (HBMs) enable the assessment of human response in potentially injurious impact scenarios; however, to do so HBMs require biofidelic material representations to predict the potential for ... -
Contributors to Proximal Femur Fracture Force: Multiscale Considerations of Rate, Toughness, and Bone Composition
(University of Waterloo, 2022-06-09)Fall-related hip fractures are a major concern facing the older adult population, especially as rates of these injuries increasing worldwide. Based on the strong positive relationship between femoral areal bone mineral ... -
Defining Normative Upper Limb Kinematics during Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) Task Performance
(University of Waterloo, 2015-08-24)The Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) is an evaluation tool used in the return to work process to guide treatment and decision making. An FCE involves testing the functional abilities of an individual to determine their ... -
Dependency of shoulder muscle activation on simulated labral conditions during isometric and functional tasks
(University of Waterloo, 2023-08-14)Glenohumeral (GH) joint stability depends on a combination of shoulder muscular action and the glenoid labrum. Labral injuries and degenerations can affect glenohumeral joint reaction forces and potentially modify shoulder ... -
Design and Development of a Training System for Manual Handling Tasks in Masonry
(University of Waterloo, 2021-09-24)The construction industry is one of the industries with the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Masons are particularly susceptible to overexertion and back injuries due to the physical demands of their ... -
Design Feasibility of an Active Ankle-Foot Stabilizer
(University of Waterloo, 2010-08-30)Walking is the most common form of mobility in humans. For lower limb mobility impairments, a common treatment is to prescribe an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) or brace, which is a passive device designed to resist undesired ... -
Detecting subject-specific fatigue related changes in lifting kinematics using a machine learning approach
(University of Waterloo, 2021-01-07)Background. Functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) are used to determine a worker’s capacity for return to work (RTW) or for job matching purposes. FCEs are completed using a subjective approach, where a trained evaluator ... -
Determining the Effects of Force Intensity, Postural and Force Direction Constraints on Off-Axis Force Production during Static Unilateral Pushing and Pulling Manual Exertions
(University of Waterloo, 2013-08-30)Proactive ergonomics is generally considered to be a more efficient and cost effective way of designing working environments than reactive ergonomics. It often requires preemptively selecting working postures and forces ... -
Dynamics and Model-Based Control of Balance Recovery in Humans Using Lower-Limb Exoskeletons
(University of Waterloo, 2023-12-22)In the past decade, powered robotic lower-limb exoskeletons have emerged as an exciting technological advancement, offering enhancements in mobility and quality of life for individuals with physical impairments. While the ... -
The effects of body composition and body configuration on impact dynamics during lateral falls: insights from in-vivo, in-vitro, and in-silico approaches
(University of Waterloo, 2017-10-24)Fall-related injuries are the current leading accidental cause of emergency room and hospital visits, hospitalizations, and injury-related deaths in Ontario. Hip fractures in particular are associated with poor functional ... -
Effects of shoe midsole cushioning on low back impact shock attenuation in recreational runners
(University of Waterloo, 2023-09-22)Running is one of the most widely practiced and accessible forms of physical activity. When the foot contacts the ground during running, impacts on the order of two to three times body weight are generated. The impact force ... -
Energy Regeneration and Environment Sensing for Robotic Leg Prostheses and Exoskeletons
(University of Waterloo, 2021-12-23)Robotic leg prostheses and exoskeletons can provide powered locomotor assistance to older adults and/or persons with physical disabilities. However, limitations in automated control and energy-efficient actuation have ... -
An examination of glove attributes and their respective contributions to force decrement and increased effort in power grip at maximal and submaximal levels
(University of Waterloo, 2006)Gloved work has been shown to increase the effort required to perform manual tasks. In power grip tasks, these differences have been observed as reductions in strength and increases in muscular effort. Decreases in ...