St. Jude Research
Epidemiology & Cancer Control

Gait & Mobility Lab

About the Gait & Mobility Lab

 Our group uses multidisciplinary approaches to assess the motor function of pediatric patients with cancer currently receiving treatment, childhood cancer survivors, children with rare neuromuscular diseases and other individuals with gait disturbances. In our lab, we assess gait, balance, muscle function, coordination and other key aspects of mobility. We use the most advanced biomechanical technology, such as wearable sensors and motion-capture technology: the same technology commonly used in Hollywood animation to track how an individual moves in space. Some of the more common individuals we see are those with Charcot-maire tooth disease, ataxia telangiectasia, duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). 

Josh Burns watching someone walk

Our mission

The mission of our work takes a comprehensive approach to:

  1. Extend the longevity and health span of children with cancer and those with rare neurological diseases.
  2. Find new ways to bring measurement and intervention to these populations earlier while decreasing the burden on patients and their families.
  3. Use movement data to transform the way care is provided to decrease long-term side effects.
feet with sensors

Research equipment and infrastructure

The Gait & Mobility Laboratory is located on the fourth floor of the Patient Care Center and occupies approximately XXX square feet, equipped with the following:

  • 18 Passive, high-resolution motion capture system (Vicon Valkyrie VK26)
  • 2D and depth cameras
  • 4 floor mounted high frequency force plates (AMTI BMS464508)
  • Wireless 16-channel EMG system
  • 40 Blue Trident IMU (inertial measurement unit) sensors
  • Noraxon IMU motion capture system (16 sensors + calibration adjustment tool)
  • 40 BioSensics IMU sensors
  • 40 Xsens DOT IMU sensors
  • Protokinetics Zeno walkway (20 feet)
  • 10 Apple watches
  • Novel emed pressure measurement walkway, Pedar plantar pressure insoles, Loadsol ground reaction force insoles, and buttonsens finger force measurement 
  • 4 Femto depth cameras
  • CITEC Dynanometers
  • Aretech Zero G ceiling mounted body-weight support system
  • CMT toolkits

Our team

The Gait & Mobility Lab brings together individuals from diverse training and educational backgrounds, including one biomechanist, one biomechanical engineer, one physical therapist and several exercise physiologists. Together, we continuously improve patient care and advance research in the field. 

Director

Team