Jackie Zehr is a PhD student University of Waterloo where she is studying musculoskeletal biomechanics. An overarching aim of her research is to understand the fundamental causes of low-back pain and the development of comprehensive strategies for the prevention and management of low-back disorders in work and exercise contexts. She has specific interests in quantitative methods for characterizing spine motion and the forces that act on it. Jackie’s recent research projects focused on addressing methodological issues related to quantifying spine coordination during high- and low-risk lifting tasks and investigating how task and perceptual constraints collectively influence the way individuals position, move, and load their spinal tissues during occupational lifting.

VHA Research Priority: Clinical and Health Services Excellence