We address questions like: what movements are used to achieve certain task, how is this constrained by our anatomy, by the task that we perform and by the environment it is performed in, and how does this affect the mechanical and physiological demands of movement.
We study the function of muscles. We study how activity of muscles is regulated to control movement and what sensory information and neural strategies are used to this end. We want to know how these processes are affected by ageing, injury and disease, but also by training. Finally, we study how the mechanical load on our musculoskeletal system, which can for example cause overuse injury, is affected by the way in which we move. Answering these questions is not only of theoretical interest, but also helps to solve problems in for example rehabilitation, ergonomics and sports.
To answer our research questions, we use experimental studies and computer simulations. To facilitate practical application of our results we develop measurement methods that can be used outside the laboratory.