Markus O Heller

Biography

Professor Markus O Heller is Professor of Biomechanics within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.   Our research is based on the premise that an understanding of the interactions between function and the associated internal loading conditions during activities of daily living is an essential prerequisite for the treatment of injury and disease to the loco-motor apparatus and for the prevention of musculoskeletal injury and degeneration. Here, the forces acting on the bones and joints of the human skeleton are known to be multiples of bodyweight, even during normal daily activities. Overloading of these musculoskeletal structures can occur due to bone deformities, muscular deficits or disturbed movement patterns, which can all lead to failure of soft tissue structures and, in the longer term, degeneration of the entire joint. Through accurate and validated models of the mechanics of the human lower limb, determined using movement patterns gained from the gait lab, we are able to understand the subject specific loading conditions to better assess individual functional deficits and the risk of mechanical overload.

Research Interest

Bioengineering Science