How elastic parts of muscles help movement
Elastic mechanisms in locomotion
This project looks at how elastic parts inside muscles change the strength, speed, and power of movement for people with aging-related weakness or movement problems after stroke or cerebral palsy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11245718 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would hear that researchers are combining experiments on animal muscles, physical models, and three-dimensional computer models to understand how internal elastic elements, fluid pressure, and contracting fibers work together. They measure muscle force, speed, and power in different animal systems and build 3-D physical and computational models to capture multi-scale interactions. Specific tests include whether fluid forces add to muscle output and whether stiffer connective tissue in older muscle reduces force and work. The goal is to link these basic mechanics to walking and other movement problems to guide future treatments or rehab strategies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with age-related muscle weakness or gait problems after stroke or cerebral palsy who are interested in contributing to research on movement mechanics.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to muscle mechanics (for example, primarily cognitive disorders) or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic-mechanics project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to improve strength, speed, or walking in older adults and people recovering from stroke or cerebral palsy.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab and animal studies show three-dimensional muscle interactions matter, but combining physical models, animal experiments, and multi-scale 3-D modeling to link elastic elements to gait is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Providence, United States
- Brown University — Providence, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roberts, Thomas Jay — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Roberts, Thomas Jay
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.