Research in our lab primarily tackles two big questions: How did humans evolve to use their bodies to move? And what are the costs and benefits of modern physical activity patterns for human health? To address these questions, we study living humans both in the field and lab, focusing on measures of locomotor biomechanics and their ties to the health and function of the musculoskeletal system, the only part of the human body that readily fossilizes. We also study the fossil and archeological records and conduct experiments with model organisms. Given the nature of our research questions, the work that we do is integrative and interdisciplinary, and we value collaborations with clinicians, engineers, ecologists, cultural anthropologists, and more.
