Andrew Laing 
- Assistant Professor
- PhD (Simon Fraser University)
- Director – Injury Biomechanics and Aging Laboratory
Contact:
Research:
My general field of interest is musculoskeletal biomechanics related to human health and injury prevention, and the role that advanced age has on these relationships. I use a systematic approach to guide my research projects which involves: i) identifying the injury of interest, ii) determining the biomechanical age-related differences that may influence injury risk, and iii) developing and testing age-specific interventions to prevent or treat the injury. Within this framework, my research over the next five years will focus on two injury categories: 1) fall-related tissue trauma including hip fractures, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries; and 2) workplace musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD). For the former I will use a combination of mechanical impact simulators (e.g. drop towers, impact pendulums) and mathematical models to measure and predict the loads applied to the body during falls, and the protective capacity of a range of protective devices. The work related to WMSD will involve the measurement of age-related differences in exposures and/or tolerances to loads applied to the body at work, and the development of interventions that target specific age groups. This work will complement existing knowledge related to age-specific injury mechanisms and effective injury prevention across the lifespan.
Key Publications:
- * A. Wright, A.C. Laing (In Press). The influence of head orientation and flooring systems on impact dynamics during simulated fall-related head impacts. Medical Engineering & Physics.
- V. Weerdesteyn, A.C. Laing, S.N. Robinovitch (2012). The body configuration at step contact critically determines the successfulness of balance recovery in response to large backward perturbations. Gait and Posture, 35(3):462-6.
- A.C. Laing, F. Feldman, M. Jalili, C.M. Tsai, S.N. Robinovitch (2011). The effects of pad geometry and material properties on the biomechanical effectiveness of 26 commercially available hip protectors. Journal of Biomechanics, 44:2627-2635.
- A.C. Laing, * R. Cox, W. Tetzlaff, T. Oxland (2011). Investigation of the effects of advanced age on the morphometry and degenerative state of the cervical spine in a rat model. The Anatomical Record. 294:1326-1336.
- * A. Wright, A.C. Laing (2011). Novel compliant floors have minimal effects on balance control following perturbations in elderly community-dwelling women. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 43:1480-1487.
- A.C. Laing, S.N. Robinovitch (2010). Characterizing the effective stiffness of the pelvis during sideways falls on the hip. Journal of Biomechanics, 43(10):1898-1904.
- S.N. Robinovitch, S.L. Evans, J. Minns, A.C. Laing, P. Kannus, P.A. Cripton, S. Derler, S.J. Birge, D. Plant, I.D. Cameron, S.P. Kiel, J. Howland, k. Khan, J.B. Lauritzen (2010). Hip protectors: recommendations for biomechanical testing – an international consensus statement (part I). Osteoporosis International. 20(12):1977-1988.
- R. Wells, A. Laing, D. Cole (2009). Characterizing the intensity of changes made to reduce mechanical exposure. WORK, 34(2):179-93.
- E. Tompa, R. Dolinschi, A. Laing (2009). An economic evaluation of a participatory ergonomics intervention in an auto parts manufacturer. Journal of Safety Research. 40(1):41-47.
- A.C. Laing, S.N. Robinovitch (2009). Low stiffness floors can attenuate fall-related femoral impact forces by up to 50% without substantially impairing balance in older women. Accident Analysis and Prevention. 41(3), 642-650.
- A.C. Laing, S.N. Robinovitch (2008). The force attenuation provided by hip protectors depends on impact velocity, pelvic size, and soft tissue stiffness. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering. 130(6), 061005-061009. * Winner of Skalak Award for best paper published in Journal of Biomechanical Engineering in 2008.
- A.C. Laing, S.N. Robinovitch (2008). Effect of soft shell hip protectors on pressure distribution to the hip during sideways falls. Osteoporosis International, 19(7):1067-75.
- V. Weerdesteyn, A.C. Laing, S.N. Robinovitch (2008). Automated postural responses are modified in a functional manner by cognitive set. Experimental Brain Research, 186(4):571-580.
- A.C. Laing, D. Cole, N. Theberge, R.P. Wells, M.S. Kerr, M.B. Frazer (2007). Effectiveness of a participatory ergonomics intervention in improving communication and psychosocial exposures. Ergonomics, 50: 1092-1109.
- A.C. Laing, I. Tootoonchi, P.A. Hulme, S.N. Robinovitch (2006). Effect of compliant flooring on impact force during falls on the hip. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 24(7):1405-1411.
- A.C. Laing, M.B. Frazer, D.C. Cole, M.S. Kerr, R.P. Wells, R.W. Norman (2005). Study of the effectiveness of a participatory ergonomics intervention in reducing worker pain severity through physical exposure pathways. Ergonomics, 48(2):150-170.
