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McGill, Stuart M.

Stu McGillMcGill Photo

Contact:

  • Office: BMH 3033
  • Telephone: 519-888-4567, ext. 36761

 

 

Research:

Our research in the Spine Biomechanics Laboratory has three objectives: to understand how the low back functions; to understand how it becomes injured; and, knowing this, formulate and investigate hypotheses related to prevention of injury and optimal rehabilitation of the injured back, and ultimate performance of the athletic back.

We have two separate laboratory approaches - one which examines intact humans which utilizes a rather unique approach that monitors spine motion and body segment position, muscle activation, ligament involvement and modelling tissue loading in each individual subject; and a second approach where we examine the mechanical behaviour of low back tissues and spine specimens. Our graduate students have been involved in several issues such as investigating the load tolerance of the spine under various types of load, assessment of spine stability, examination of devices such as abdominal belts, examination of various injury mechanisms and determining the safest methods of achieving performance in the back, to name a few.

This work has been recognized with many awards including the R. Tait McKenzie Award 2005, the CSB Career Award 2004, the Stow visiting lectureship from the Ohio State University College of Medicine 2002, the Steven Rose Lectureship from the Washington University School of Medicine 2001, to name a few.

Preparing Leaders:  Virtually all of the graduate students from the Spine Biomechanics Laboratory land exciting careers.  Many are recruited as faculty members, and some become ergonomists or take various clinical positions.

For further information about my research please visit my Research Home Page or the Spine Biomechanics Laboratory.

Professor McGill currently serves on the editorial board for the journals Clinical Biomechanics, Applied Biomechanics and Spine.

lowback book cover book 2 dvd cover image

Click here for information on Dr. McGill's Books, Speaking Schedule.

 

Key Publications

Books

  1. McGill, S.M.  Ultimate back fitness and performance, Backfitpro Inc., Waterloo, Canada, 2004. ISBN 0-9736018-0-4 (www.backfitpro.com).  Fourth edition 2009.

  2. McGill, S.M.  Low back disorders: Evidence based prevention and rehabilitation, Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, IL, U.S.A., 2002. ISBN 0-7360-4241-5, Second Edition, 2007.
                Now also printed in Japanese, 2003
                Now also printed in Chinese, 2009.

Full Refereed Journal Papers (Most Recent)

*Indicates first authors who were students at time of development of the paper.

  1. McGill, S.M., There is no such thing as non-specific back pain.  A position paper written for the Centre of Research Excellence:  Musculoskeletal Disorders. www.cre-msd.uwaterloo.ca
  2. Liebenson, C., Karpowicz, A., Brown, S., Howarth, S., McGill, S.M. (2009) The active straight leg raise test and lumbar spine stability.  Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.1(6): 530-535
  3.  McGill, S.M. and Fenwick, C.M.J. (2009)  Using a pneumatic support to correct sitting posture in airline seats.  Ergonomics.
  4. Vera Garcia, F., Moreside, J., McGill, S.M. (accepted March 2009) MVC techniques to normalize trunk muscle EMG in healthy women.  J. Electro. Kines.
  5. McGill, S.M., Belore, M., Crosby, I., Russell, C. (accepted March 2009) Comparison of two methods to quantify torso flexion endurance.  Occup. Ergonmics.
  6. Sanchez-Zuriaga, D., Vera-Garcia, F.J., Moreside, J., McGill, S.M. (2009) Trunk muscle activation patterns and spine kinematics when using the body blade:  Influence of different postures and blade orientations.  Arch. Phys. Med. Rehab. 90(6): 1055-1060
  7. McGill, S.M., McDermott, A., Fenwick, C. (2009) Comparison of different strongman events:  Trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load and stiffness, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 23(4): 1148-1161.
  8. Brown*,S., McGill, S.M.  (accepted August 2008) An ultrasound investigation into the morphology of the human abdominal wall uncovers complex deformation patterns during contraction.  Eur. J. Appl. Physiol.
  9. Brown*, S., McGill, S.M. (accepted April 2008)  The intrinsic stiffness of the invivo lumbar spine in response to a variety of quick releases:  Implications for reflexive requirements, J. EMG Kinesiol.
  10. Banerjee*, P., Brown S., Howarth, S., McGill, S.M. (2009) Torso and hip muscle activity and resulting spine load and stability while using the Profitter 3-D Cross Trainer.  J. Appl. Biomech., 25: 73-84.
  11. McGill, S.M. (2009) Evolving Ergonomics? Ergonomics, 52(1): 80-86.
  12. McGill, S.M., Karpowicz, A. (2009) Exercises for spine stabilization:  Motion/Motor patterns, stability progressions and clinical technique.  Arch. Phys. Med. and Rehab.,  90: 118-126.
  13. Scannell, J.P., McGill, S.M. (2009) Disc prolapse:  Evidence of reversal with repeated extension.  SPINE, 34(4): 344-350.
  14. Brown, S., McGill, S.M. (2009) Transmission of muscularly generated force and stiffness between layers of the rat abdominal wall.  SPINE, 34(2): E70-E75.
  15. Grenier, S.G., McGill, S.M. (2008)  When exposed to challenged ventilation, those with a history of LBP increase spine stability relatively more than healthy individuals.  Clin. Biomech. 23(9): 1105-1111.
  16. Fenwick, C.M.J., Brown, S.H.M., McGill, S.M. (accepted March 2008) Comparison of different rowing exercises:  Trunk muscle activation, and lumbar spine motion, load and stiffness.  Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
  17. McGill, S.M., Karpowicz, A., Fenwick, C. (accepted February 2008) Ballistic abdominal exercises:  Muscle activation patterns during a punch, baseball throw, and a torso stiffening manoeuvre.  Strength and Cond. J.
  18. McGill, S.M., Karpowicz, A., Fenwick, C.  (accepted February 2008) Exercises for the torso performed in a standing posture:  Motion and motor patterns.  J. Strength and Conditioning Res.
  19. McGill, S.M.  On the use of weightbelts.  NSCA Hot Topics Series, www.nsca-lift.org ((Hot Topics).
  20. McGill, S.M.  (2008) Therapeutic exercise for the painful lumbar spine: Where does one begin, Orthop. Div.Review CPA, pp. 12-18, March/April 2008.
  21. Brown*, S., McGill, S.M. (2008) How the inherent stiffness of the in-vivo human trunk varies with changing magnitude of muscular activation.  Clin. Biomech., 23(1): 15-22.