Off and running
Groundbreaking prosthetics research helps wounded veterans get back on their feet.
U.S. Army Colonel Patricia Collins was determined not to let a partial leg amputation spell the end of her competitive athletic career. Now, she鈥檚 running better than ever with the help of groundbreaking prosthetic limb research that鈥檚 designed to help veteran amputees regain the greatest possible level of functionality.
Collins, a 2013 International Triathlon Union Paratriathlon silver medalist and 2016 Paralympics hopeful, is one of several veterans working with faculty member Alena Grabowski in CU-Boulder鈥檚 Applied Biomechanics Lab to develop more efficient electrically powered ankle-foot prostheses.
鈥淚 am running faster, farther and more comfortably than I have since I鈥檝e been an amputee, thanks to Alena and her team,鈥� she said. 鈥淗aving the opportunity to try different running legs and test variables such as weight and height alignment was revolutionary for me.鈥�
鈥淭he ability to walk and run should never be taken for granted,鈥� said Grabowski, an assistant professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology. She and her students are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to reduce prosthetic limb rehabilitation time and reduce related health care costs, which will allow veteran amputees to resume intensive physical activities and even return to active duty if they so desire.
Her state-of-the-art lab, which is funded in part by a five-year Career Development Award from the Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation, Research and Development Service, includes a dual-belt treadmill, a high-speed treadmill, an eight-camera motion analysis system, sophisticated metabolic analysis machines and more than 60 running-specific prostheses.
With additional funding support from the DOD鈥檚 Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, Grabowski鈥檚 team conducts its studies using a unique prosOff and running Groundbreaking prosthetics research helps wounded veterans get back on their feet. HEALTH thesis called the BiOM. Developed by Personal Bionics in Bedford, Massachusetts, it helps restore natural gait and balance and lowers joint stress. For the first time in history, veterans with lower limb amputations have regained nearly full functionality while walking and running.
CU-Boulder undergraduates play a leading role in the research as well. 鈥淭he best part of the experience was taking theoretical principles of biomechanics and putting them into practice,鈥� said Rachel Klomhaus, a recent graduate who worked in Grabowski鈥檚 lab during her senior year. 鈥淚 learned how to use tools and programs to make a difference in someone鈥檚 life.鈥�
鈥淢y students provide an enormous contribution to my research,鈥� said Grabowski. 鈥淭heir creative energy is infectious and they offer important insight into research development and implementation.鈥�
Grabowski鈥檚 work was featured prominently during this year鈥檚 National Veterans Research Week, which calls attention to the achievements of VA researchers and the role they play in providing high-quality care for veterans and advancing medical science.
鈥淲ith the increasing number of veterans with leg amputations, there is a heightened demand for advanced prostheses,鈥� said Grabowski. 鈥淲e believe our research will improve advanced leg prostheses for walking and running, facilitating the reintegration of veterans with amputations in all facets of civilian life.鈥澨�
Findings
Measles Vaccine
Measles remains one of the world鈥檚 most contagious鈥攁nd deadly鈥攄iseases, but researchers have developed a powdered vaccine that can be delivered via a simple puff of air. The new dry vaccine is less expensive than its liquid counterparts and can be stored at room temperature for up to four years, according to Robert Sievers, a fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The research, funded in part by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, could be a game changer for resource-starved regions of the world.
Outpacing Age
Want to tap into the fountain of youth? Start running. Researchers have discovered that senior citizens who run regularly for exercise can move more easily than their sedentary counterparts and expend the same amount of energy walking as a typical 20-year-old. 鈥淭he bottom line is that running keeps you younger, at least in terms of energy efficiency,鈥� said Rodger Kram, an associate professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology, noting that older runners also maintain a metabolic edge over seniors who just walk. Consider these findings one more persuasive reason to sign up for that 5K.听
Dirt VS. Asphalt
Compelling evidence for putting the 鈥渏ungle鈥� back in 鈥渏ungle gym鈥�: A recent study found that playgrounds featuring natural wooded habitats鈥攁s opposed to asphalt and recreation equipment鈥攔educed children鈥檚 stress levels and boosted their attention spans. In more than 700 hours of observation at a Denver-area elementary school鈥檚 outdoor play space, 鈥渮ero uncivil behaviors were observed,鈥� said Louise Chawla, a professor in the Program in Environmental Design. When it comes to effective teaching methods, Mother Nature is still the master.