The overall objective of my research is to unravel the complex interactions between the musculoskeletal and neural systems during movement. For this purpose, both animal and human models are exploited. 
 

Projects

• Interaction between the brain hemispheres - key to motor recovery after stroke. The aim is to elucidate to which extent disturbed interhemispheric interaction affects motor recovery after stroke, and identify the conditions under which TMS can modulate interhemispheric interactions to improve motor recovery.
  - Collaborators: Prof. Rick Dijkhuizen ( University Medical Center Utrecht), Prof. Jeanette Hofmeijer (University of Twente)
• The Neuromechanics of Movement in Relation to Low Back Pain. The aim of this project is to investigate behavioral and neural aspects of motor control in low back pain.
  - Collaborators: Prof. Jia Han (Shanghai University of Sport, China), Prof. Jaap van Dieën (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam).
• Elucidation of muscle architecture and task specificity of the hamstrings in situ. The aim is to investigate the morphological characteristics of the hamstrings (in particular, biceps femoris long head) to obtain novel insights of its function during exercise and proneness of strain injury, using various tissue visualization techniques such as cadaver dissection, 3D ultrasound, MRI and DTI.
  - Collaborators: Prof. Yasuo Kawakami (Waseda University)
  
• Effects of low-load-prolonged-stretching on muscle properties and joint mobility. Aim is to investigate how different stretching protocols affect muscle morphology and joint, muscle and tendon mechanics in people with joint and muscle contractures of the extremities.
  - Collaborators: Prof. Han Houdijk (University of Groningen), Prof. Jaap van Dieën (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Dirk van Dongen (BASKO Healthcare).
• Neuromechanical responses to stroke in the rat. This project is funded by the European Commission through MOVE-AGE, an Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate program. The goal is to improve our understanding of the changes in neural control of movement and secondary changes in skeletal muscle properties in response to a stroke.
  - PhD student: Arjun Paudyal
  - Collaborators: Prof. G. Kwakkel, Dr. E.E.H. van Wegen, Dr. C.G.M. Meskers (Amsterdam University Medical Center), Prof. H. Degens, Prof. M. Slevin (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK)

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