Musculoskeletal Sonography and Occupational Performance Research Laboratory

The MSOP lab employs a holistic approach to examine interrelationships among occupational performance, health, and well-being. Particular areas of interest include worker well-being within built, organizational, and social contexts, as well as the evaluation, prevention, and rehabilitation of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Primary health considerations of interest in MSOP studies include musculoskeletal disorders, stress, and burnout, and specific worker populations supported through MSOP research have included office workers, construction workers, sonographers, and dental hygienists. Research projects are typically observational or experimental, and all apply a multi-method approach to blend empirical, quantitative data with qualitative first-person, lived experiences. MSOP research is highly transdisciplinary, leveraging collaborations among occupational science, rehabilitation science, radiologic science, engineering, medicine, and other disciplines to advance knowledge. MSOP research aims to contribute knowledge in primary areas: Investigating, measuring, and intervening to optimize interactions among environments (built, organizational, social), occupational performance (e.g., praxis, engagement, productivity), and the health and well-being of workers Understanding how individual behaviors, physical exposures, stress, psychosocial factors, and personality traits relate to the development of musculoskeletal disorders or other work-related injuries, and how each factor mitigates or promotes successful prevention (e.g., ergonomics) and rehabilitation (e.g., hand therapy) efforts Advancing the use of sonographic imaging for the evaluation, prevention, and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders with a primary focus on the upper extremities