Current News
Dr. Lephart Delivers Keynote in Sicily, Italy at International Sports Medicine Meeting
The tenth edition on the Congress Kinecenter was held on Saturday, May 12th, 2012. The topic surrounding this year's international sports medicine meeting was proprioceptive exercise and neuromuscular control in joint stability. Based on his extensive work in this field, Dr. Scott M. Lephart of the University of Pittsburgh's Neuromuscular Research Laboratory was invited to deliver the meeting's Keynote lecture.
This meeting was focused on the dissemination of knowledge and information pertaining to the use of proprioceptive exercises and how they relate to neuromuscular control, joint stability, and the treatment and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries. The Chairman of Kinecenter, Dr. Gianfranco Lisitano, put together an extensive line up of speakers and workshops bringing together a great variety of techniques and concepts related to this topic.
NMRL Research Spotlighted in the Summer 2012 FACETS Magazine
FACETS is the official magazine of the University of Pittsburgh's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. In this Spring / Summer 2012 issue the NMRL is featured for its international related research with the Norwegian National Defense Institute and the University of Florence, Italy, and its Department of Defense projects.
"The exchange of creative ideas"
On page 16 FACETS describes the recent collaborative effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Florence with the Firenze Rugby 1931 Club. This article also discusses how the Norwegian National Defense Institute has reached out the University of Pittsburgh's NMRL for assistance with developing a similar research model to help decrease musculoskeletal injuries in the Norwegian Navy Special Operations operators.
"On the front line of change"
Beginning on page 18, another article describes the recent advancements the NMRL's UPitt Warrior Human Performance Research Center has made with the U.S. Department of Defense. Highlights include remote laboratory expansions with Naval Special Warfare Command (NSW-C) and the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) and a collaboration effort with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
SEALs Ethos Magazine Features UPitt-NSW Research With Opening of Coronado Lab
Ethos is the official magazine of the Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs Office and is focused on promoting the character, culture, and actions of Naval Special Warfare. The most recent issue (issue 16) features the opening of the UPitt Warrior Human Performance Research Laboratory at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, in San Diego, CA.
The article takes you through the general model of the UPitt-NSW research collaboration and discusses the importance of each research phase and the overall goal.
Dr. Sell Attended DARPA's Warrior Web Workshop
On Wednesday, February 15, 2012 a multi-disciplinary group made up of faculty members from across West Point Academy and representatives from the University of Pittsburgh (Dr. Sell), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (Army and Air Force), the US Marine Corps, Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (SRDEC). MEDCOM, KACH and industry took part in a full-day workshop in support of DARPA's WarriorWeb initiative.
Jointly sponsored by DARPA and West Point's Center for Innovation and Engineering (CIE), this meeting was the third of its kind seeking to update researchers on current research and development efforts, gain feedback from collaborators, and build new teams for nascent lines of inquiry. This meeting specifically focused on discussion regarding current technology efforts related to the DARPA WarriorWeb and Army Soldier Initiatives.
Presentations during this meeting included updates on the guidance from soldier Army leadership, historical perspectives on the issues of soldier load and its effect on physical and operational performance. The status of ongoing research efforts including cognitive load, use of social networks to better identify the linkage between all relevant aspects of the soldier load problem, use of energy harvesting systems to provide local power supplies, and effects of mechanical prosthetic systems to enhance soldier performance.
Dr. Lephart Gives Presentation to NATO
On the 14th of September 2011, Dr. Lephart addressed NATO Special Operations Command officials at a conference in Brussels. Speaking about injury prevention and Human performance optimization in a military population, he summarized the University of Pittsburgh’s NMRL Warrior Human Performance Research efforts with US Special Forces Commands and conveyed the importance and need for research efforts that focus on the reduction of avoidable musculoskeletal injuries, human performance, and tactical readiness in Special Operation Forces.
Continuation and Expansion of Naval Special Warfare Projects
Since 2007 the NMRL has been investigating musculoskeletal injuries and human performance in the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Group 2 in Little Creek, VA. Over the past year this effort has expanded to NSW Group 4, Special Boat Team-22, in Stennis, MS. These projects are focused on the development and refinement of the NSW’s Tactical Athlete Program in collaboration with their human performance, medical, and training personnel. In addition to the continuation of funding for the NSW Group 2 and Group 4 projects, the NMRL and NSW will begin a new research project with the Naval Special Warfare Center regarding Seal Qualification Training (SQT) and Crewman Qualification Training (CQT) at Coronado Naval Base in San Diego, CA.
DOD Newsletter
