Clinical Biomechanics and Athletic Training Research Lab

About the Lab

CBAT lab logo

The Clinical Biomechanics & Athletic Training (CBAT) Research Laboratory utilizes biomechanical research tools to better understand activity related musculoskeletal pathologies and their underlying causes. The overarching aim of CBAT is to strengthen gait and movement analyses by incorporating multidisciplinary and clinically relevant measures, ultimately focused on performance driven injury mitigation and clinically translative technology implementation. The CBAT Research Laboratory strives to integrate wearable technologies within athletic training and other allied health professions. CBAT is presently outfitted with a number of tools to better quantify athletic movements:

  • 7 Sensor IMU System (APDM)
  • 8 Channel Telemetered EMG System (Delsys)
  • 2 Portable Force Platforms (Bertec)
  • 2 Stationary Force Platforms (Bertec)
  • 16 Unit VERT System (VERT)
  • 10 Camera Motion Capture System (OptiTrack)
  • Research Grade Treadmill (Woodway)

About the Director

picture of Shane Murphy

Dr. Shane Murphy

shane.murphy@mso.umt.edu

Dr. Murphy is an assistant professor of Athletic Training in the School of Integrative Physiology and Athletic Training. He obtained a Bachelor’s (University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire) in Athletic Training as well as a Master’s (Indiana University) and Ph.D. (University of Northern Colorado) in Biomechanics. His research efforts aim to improve athletic performance while mitigating the risk of injury in traditional and tactical athletes by quantifying the mechanics of dynamic and static tasks. His interests encompass asymmetrical movement patterns and nonlinear measures, especially as they apply to posturography and gait. Dr. Murphy also has a passion of better understanding activity related overuse injuries by incorporating multidisciplinary and clinically relevant measures, further utilizing wearable technology to quantify both whole-body and joint level biomechanics. Dr. Murphy has a history of collaborating with athletic teams and rehabilitative clinics to perform laboratory-based assessments, but has recently been able to transition to providing more insight outside the lab.

Collaborators


Dr. Otto Buchholz, PhD, ATC, PES

kbuchholz@ewu.edu

Dr. Buchholz is currently an assistant professor of Athletic Training at Eastern Washington University. He obtained his Bachelor’s (Hope College) and Master’s (California University of PA) in Athletic Training, as well as his Ph.D. in Exercise Science – Biomechanics (University of Northern Colorado). Dr. Buchholz’s research interests include the biomechanics of postural control in performance and rehabilitative settings, its application to concussion recovery, and the use of biomechanical tools in athletic screenings and programming assessment. His ongoing collaborations with CBAT Lab include comparing functional tasks for optimizing performance and mitigating injury, and quantifying volleyball jump and landing mechanics in practice.

Buchholz

Dr. Nathan Robey, PhD, ATC, CES
robeyn@wwu.edu

Dr. Robey is currently the Department of Health and Human Development Lab Coordinator at the University of Western Washington. Dr. Robey obtained his Bachelor’s (South Dakota State University) and Master’s (Texas State University) in Athletic Training, as well as his Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Science - Biomechanics (University of Northern Colorado). Dr. Robey’s primary research interest is the impact of ACL reconstruction on neuromuscular control, with the goal of improving rehabilitation and return to sport outcomes. His secondary research interests include using biomechanical tools to improve athletic screening and performance assessments, and using data to improve clinical decision-making. His ongoing collaborations with CBAT Lab include comparing functional tasks for optimizing performance and mitigating injury and quantifying volleyball and landing mechanics in practice. Previously, Dr. Robey helped facilitate the development of workshops with CBAT on implementation of wearable technology into clinical practice.

Robey

Research Assistants

Benito Cecenas

A current graduate assistant for the Athletic Performance Program at the Washington-Grizzly Champions Center, he is completing a thesis looking at common baseline metrics and their translation to effective play in collegiate soccer players. His efforts are a part of a growing collaboration between the UM Athletics Department and CBAT Lab.

Andrew Berrier

A current graduate assistant for the UM Football Team, Andrew is completing a project to better assess how baseline measures with the team translate to sprinting performance. His project represents an effort to support a greater number of student athletes on campus.

Kalob Kneib

A current undergraduate student in the School of IPAT, Kalob assisted with establishing a healthy control database for the Neural Injury Center (NIC). His efforts assist the CBAT collaboration with the NIC to provide balance testing to athletes and veterans, alike.

Alumni

Zebadiah Boos

Zeb completed his Masters in 2022. He completed a thesis project looking at the effects of fatigue on both dynamic and static tasks in collegiate volleyball players. His efforts expanded beyond CBAT while at UM, but was integral in establishing a route to complete a thesis through the lab.

Zach Wiseniewski

Zach completed his Masters of Athletic Training in 2021. He assisted with the collection and dissemination of multiple projects utilizing wearable sensors during functional performance tests. Zach received the UM Research and Creative Scholarship award for his work on detecting asymmetries during jumping tasks in the CBAT Research Lab.

Hailee Eckman

Hailee completed her Masters in 2021. She spent her time at UM as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the University of Montana Football Team. Hailee lead a project looking to better understand the injury trends and physical activity levels in UM Esports athletes. This work was collaborative by nature and facilitated translating research methods commonly used on traditional athletes to a growing population on campus and across the country.

Wyatt Mirich

Wyatt completed his Masters in 2021. He spent his time at UM as a graduate assistant for the Athletic Performance Program at the Washington-Grizzly Champions Center. He facilitated data collection for in-practice monitoring of UM Volleyball athletes, a collaboration that continues to prosper from his hard work.