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Biomechanics/Sports Medicine Lab


The Biomechanics/Sports Medicine Lab

(Jowers B130) is a 2700 square foot multi-disciplinary research and teaching center focusing on biomechanics, physical medicine, and strength and conditioning research. Multiple biomechanical measurement systems are available for faculty and student research.

The kinetics of movement can be examined with two AMTI force platforms, a Biodex System 4 Pro isokinetic dynamometer, a Pasco portable force platform, and various load cells and hand-held dynamometers.


Bio Lab

Three-dimensional kinematics are documented with a 4 camera (240 Hz) Qualisys system with Visual3D software a Motion Monitor electromagnetic tracking system. Two-dimensional quantitative videography may be performed with Contemplas Templo, Dartfis, or MaxTRAQ software. Several video cameras are available for high-speed (up to 1000 Hz) imaging of human movements


 

Reflex Board

The Science of Player Safety

Texas State University researchers at the Biomechanics and Sports Medicine Lab are working to change how players, coaches and families view sports-related concussion (SRC) risks.

Combined with baseline data recorded for every student-athlete at Texas State on balance, cognition, emotion and vision, the accelerometer data can provide useful information for evaluating an injured player's biomechanics to help find ways athletes can minimize the risk of future injuries.

Texas State University researchers at the Biomechanics and Sports Medicine Lab are working to change how players, coaches and families view sports-related concussion (SRC) risks.

Assistant Professor of Health & Human Performance, Training Missy Fraser specializes in understanding SRCs. She is using new technology and techniques to develop better ways to evaluate suspected concussions and, hopefully, to give athletes personalized estimates of their risk.

“Every athlete is different,” Fraser says. “A blow that results in a concussion for one person is just a routine hit to another player. In football, players experience thousands of impacts over their careers that don't lead to injury.”

Relatively little historical data exists for researchers to build on, since SRC in sports only began to draw widespread attention in the last 15 to 20 years, Fraser says.

To collect new data on how and when SRCs occur, Fraser and the Texas State football team are using accelerometers — headbands with embedded sensors that measure the force and duration of impacts and the speed and direction of players’ head movement.

“The heart of our mission is to have all of the research we do be clinically relevant. We want our work to directly benefit the athletes, coaches and athletic trainers,” Fraser says.