News and Events
"Understanding arthritis"
"Sometimes in the study of biomechanics, the emphasis is on the mechanical. “We take a $400,000 research microscope, rip it apart—void the warranty—and build these loading devices that fit on top of them,” says Dr. John Matyas. “Then we take a piece of tissue and crunch it in a way that allows us to assess its mechanical function.” Matyas is a self-described “egghead scientist” in the new Faculty of Veterinary Medicine who investigates the basic mechanisms of arthritis. Degenerative joint diseases have been a long-term focus of his research. His work is as relevant to veterinary joint health as it is to humans." Read more...
Published: March 16, 2009 from the University of Calgary, Homepage of their website www.ucalgary.ca; Research in Action web page
"Unpuzzling joint disease"
You’ll find Dr. Nigel Shrive’s spectacularly cluttered office—every available surface holds a pile of books or stack of paper—in the Schulich School of Engineering. But while the Killiam Memorial Chairholder teaches in the Department of Civil Engineering and conducts research on masonry, he’s also developed an expertise in biomechanics. These days, it is that work that has Shrive quite excited. He is hopeful that a new model he has developed with Dr. Cy Frank and Dr. David Hart might help determine the relative influence of mechanical and biological factors in the development of osteoarthritis. Read more
Published: March 12, 2009 from the University of Calgary, Homepage of their website www.ucalgary.ca; Research in Action web page
"A Living Laboratory"
"Weekend warriors and professional athletes alike might want to pay attention to the work of Dr. Walter Herzog. That’s because Herzog, the multi-award winning co-director of the U of C’s Human Performance Lab, is looking at how the things we ask our joints to do when we are young and vigorous might lead to osteoarthritis later in life. His research group takes a unique approach to studying the problem." Read more...
Published: February 20, 2009 from the University of Calgary, Homepage of their website www.ucalgary.ca; Research in Action web page
"A better way to heal"
One aspect of his work toward finding that “better way” focuses on the healing process. “All the ligaments we’ve studied heal with scar tissue and not ligament regeneration,” says Frank, professor of orthopaedic surgery, an Alberta Heritage Foundation Medical Research (AHFMR) scientist, executive director of the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute and winner of the U of C’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2002.Read more...
Published: on the University of Calgary, Homepage on their webiste www.ucalgary.ca ; Research in Action web page
"Exercise aids osteoarthritic knees: study"
written by: Donna Gray, For Neighbours
"Anyone living with the pain of osteoarthritis, especially in the knee, knows how difficult it is to enjoy the benefits physical activity.
There may be relief ahead, however, in the form of a study to prove that certain types of exercise can reduce the symptoms and increase functionality.
Researchers at the University of Calgary's Sport Medicine Centre are looking for people living with pain from osteoporosis, specifically in the knee." Read more...
