Grad student wins biomechanics award

Brian Noehren, a physical therapy doctoral student in UD's Biomechanics and Movement Science Program, demonstrates how he attaches small gray balls to a volunteer’s leg before filming the runner for a study on running injuries in the Motion Analysis Laboratory in McKinley Laboratory.

4:25 p.m., Oct. 16, 2006--Brian Noehren, a physical therapy doctoral student in UD's Biomechanics and Movement Science Program, won the Clinical Biomechanics Award at the American Society of Biomechanics meeting in September in Blacksburg, Va.

His winning paper, “Prospective Study of Biomechanical Factors Associated with Illiotibial Band Syndrome,” was selected from approximately 400 entries from professionals at all levels in the field and will be published in the upcoming issue of Clinical Biomechanics. Coauthors are Noehren's adviser, Irene Davis, professor of physical therapy at UD, and Joseph Hamill of the University of Massachusetts.

“I was hugely surprised, and I was especially pleased since the this is the first time anyone from the University of Delaware has received the award,” Noehren said.

The illiotibial band runs from hip to the knee along the outside of the thigh. Illiotibial band injuries are the second most common (the first is pain under the knee cap or patellofemoral pain syndrome) for runners, and also for dancers and other athletes, Noehren said.

The conventional wisdom was that up and down motion, bending the knee excessively while running caused the injuries. But, Noehren's theory is that illiotibial band syndrome is caused by twisting and side motion of the hip and knee while running.

Noehren carried out his research in the Motion Analysis Laboratory in McKinley Laboratory with volunteer runners.

Noehren (right) and Dan Ramsey, a PT research scientist, demonstrate how motion studies are filmed in the lab.

“We attached small gray balls to the runners' legs and using infrared lights and cameras, filmed the volunteers while they ran. The camera picked up the balls in motion,” Noehren said.

“We e-mailed the volunteers on a monthly basis to see if they had any injuries. When they reported injuring the illiotibial band, we accessed the original data of them running to study. Our research on injured runners indicated that our theory, twisting and side motion, rather than up and down motion of the knee causes the injuries, is on target. Of the 400 volunteers, 17 have injured the illiotibial band,” he said.

“Our research will help prevent these injuries and improve treatment,” Noehren said.

Next, Noehren plans to move from the second cause of injuries to runners to the first--pain under the kneecap or patellofemoral pain syndrome. With a grant from the U.S. Army Research Office, Davis has established a lab to study kneecap injuries using an electronic multi-settings treadmill. The same technology, attaching gray balls to the runners and using infrared lights and cameras, will be used.

“We need volunteers, and would like to hear from runners who currently have patellofemoral pain syndrome as we are researching treatments for the condition,” Noehren said. To volunteer or for information, send e-mail to [bnoehren@udel.edu].

A graduate of the University of Connecticut, Noehren practiced as a physical therapist for four years before coming to UD. He said he wanted to come to UD for graduate work because of its reputation for cutting edge research. The University is a family affair as his younger sister, Debra, graduated from UD with a nursing degree last year.

Article by Sue Moncure

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