LOCO lab – Neuromechanics of human movement and locomotion
ions | Bruxelles Woluwe, Louvain-la-Neuve
The LOCO group explores the neuromechanics of movement, particularly human locomotion, posture, and task-specific movements such as jumping or landing. Our research is dedicated to understanding the development and adaptability of human movement. We investigate how sensorimotor control evolves from innate motor patterns toward learned and optimized behaviors, and how this trajectory is shaped by experience, training, injury, or neurological conditions.
Our work spans the full motor continuum — from spontaneous movements in neonates to the biomechanical and neural strategies used by skilled athletes. We combine approaches from biomechanics, motor control, and neurophysiology to study the motor learning and plasticity, multisensory integration for the generation of movements, interlimb coordination, muscle synergies, and locomotor rhythmicity in both typical and atypical development (e.g., cerebral palsy, LCA injury). In addition to our human studies, we also conduct comparative analyses across species, that allow us to explore evolutionary convergences and conserved motor strategies, shedding light on the biological foundations of robust and adaptable locomotion.
A core part of our work involves quantifying patterned control of movement, movement variability, and adaptive responses to novel constraints — such as unstable environments, altered sensory feedback, or fatigue. We use advanced experimental techniques including surface EMG, 3D motion capture, and force plate analysis to characterize the neuromechanical signatures of motor behavior.
Publications Bénédicte Schepens
Publications Dominique De Jaeger
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Publications Guillaume Bastien
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Article de journalBastien, G., Heglund, N., & Schepens, B. (2003). The double contact phase in walking children. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 206(17), 2967-2978. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00494 (Original work published 2003)
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Publications Massimo Penta
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Article de journalEl Khoury, G., Penta, M., Barbier, O., Libouton, X., Thonnard, J.-L., & Lefèvre, P. (2021). Recognizing Manual Activities Using Wearable Inertial Measurement Units: Clinical Application for Outcome Measurement. Sensors, 21(9), 3245 [1-14]. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21093245 (Original work published 2021)
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Papier de conférence
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Article de journalTennant, A., Penta, M., Tesio, L., Grimby, G., Thonnard, J.-L., Slade, A., Lawton, G., Simone, A., Carter, J., Lundgren-Nilsson, A., Tripolski, M., Ring, H., Biering-Sørensen, F., Marincek, C., Burger, H., & Phillips, S. (2004). Assessing and adjusting for cross-cultural validity of impairment and activity limitation scales through differential item functioning within the framework of the Rasch model: the PRO-ESOR project. Medical Care, 42(1 Suppl), I37-I48. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.mlr.0000103529.63132.77 (Original work published 2004)
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Publications Arthur Dewolf
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Article de journalDewolf, A., & et al. (2021). Influence of sports background on the bouncing mechanism of running. Sports Biomechanics, 14(763141), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/14763141.2021.1884284 (Original work published 2021)
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Dewolf, A., & et al. (2021). HydrolyzedCollagenSupplementationonLowerBodyStiffnessin Recreational Triathletes. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 12(3), e107893. https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.107893. (Original work published 2021)
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Article de journalDewolf, A., Da Rosa Macedo Mesquita, R., & Willems, P. (2020). Comment on: “Is Motorized Treadmill Running Biomechanically Comparable to Overground Running? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cross-Over Studies”. Sports Medicine : reviews of applied medicine and science in sport and exercise, 50(9), 1695-1698. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01304-w (Original work published 2020)
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