Applied Biomechanics Lab

Paralympic athlete running

Clare Small 106 and 111
phone: 303-492-0926
fax: 303-492-4009

Research Interests

  • The biomechanical and metabolic effects of lower limb prostheses and exoskeletons on walking, running, hopping, jumping, bicycling, and sprinting.

Personnel

  • Director: Alena Grabowski, PhD.
  • Graduate Students: Bradley Needles, Luis Morata-Moreno, Emmett McMahon, Lina Jaafar
ABL2026

(L to R): Alena Grabowski, Luis Morata-Moreno, Lina Jaafar, Bradley Needles, Emmett McMahon, Chantal Koehoorn, and Mathilde Montel

Current Research Projects

  • Can sensory feedback training improve the biomechanical and metabolic effects of using passive or powered lower limb prostheses during walking for Veterans with transtibial amputations? (Hirschman, Zhang, Grabowski)
  • How do lower limb prosthetic stiffness and power affect the biomechanics, metabolic costs, and satisfaction of Veterans with transtibial amputations during walking?” (Colvin, Tacca, Grabowski)
  • Understanding the effects of a springy surfaces during hopping and running (Morata-Moreno, Koehoorn, Grabowski)
  • How does use of a running-specific leg prosthesis affect curve-running performance? (Diaz, Grabowski)
  • Optimizing prosthetic components forwomen with amputation. (Ashcraft, Grabowski)
  • Optimizing prosthetic and bicycle fit for people with transtibial amputations (Allen, Montel, Grabowski)
  • Improving socket fit in Veterans with transtibial and transfemoral amputations (Jaafar, Grabowski)
  • How do "Super" shoes and spikes affect running performance? (Needles, Morata-Moreno, Grabowski)
  • How does Load Carriage affect walking metabolic costs and biomechanics? (McMahon, Grabowski)
  • How does use of a running prosthesis affect performance? (Jaafar, Grabowski)

Opportunities for Undergraduates

The requirements for undergraduate students who would like research experience in our Lab are:

  • Completed at least one year in college.
  • Will be at CU for at least two more semesters.
  • Available for 8-10 hours of time per week in blocks of 2-4 hours at a time.
  • IPHY, MCDB, PSYCH, Applied Math, and Engineering majors are encouraged.

For more information, contact Prof. Alena Grabowski (alena.grabowski@colorado.edu). Unfortunately, due to high demand, we cannot accommodate all qualified students.

Recent Publications

  • BJ Needles, S Kim, & AM Grabowski. The Running Economy and Biomechanics of Competitive Distance Runners Wearing Advanced Footwear Technology Spikes. European Journal of Applied Physiology
  • Z Colvin, WM Adams, M Uihlein & AM Grabowski. Effects of stick length on metabolic cost, acceleration, maximum speed, and agility of elite male para ice-hockey athletes. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport
  • CE Hirschmann, J Zhang-Lea, & AM Grabowski.Real-time visual feedback affects peak propulsive horizontal force and metabolic cost in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation during walking. Journal of Applied Physiology
  • KR Ashcraft &AM Grabowski. The effects of leg prosthesis stiffness and takeoff board stiffness on long jump performance. Sci Rep16, 7418 (2026).
  • JR Tacca, *ZA Colvin, & AM Grabowski. Effects of prosthetic ankle power and foot stiffness category on biomechanical asymmetry and knee moment during walking at different speeds. Scientific reports Published: 05 February 2026
  • SP Allen, GB Diaz, &AM Grabowski.Mechanics and energetics of cycling with unilateral transtibial amputation: Effects of prosthetic effective leg length and prosthesis type.Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
  • M Schneider, Z Colvin, AM Grabowski and C Gonzalez Welker. Modeling the Biomechanical Features Affecting the Metabolic Rate of Walking with a Powered Ankle-Foot Prosthesis. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, section Biomedical Robotics: Advances in Smart and Adaptive Prosthetic and Wearable Technologies.Submitted on: 18 Sep 2025
  • HB Archer, S Kim, HE Stewart, JL McNitt-Gray, ME Hahn, R Kram, &AM Grabowski. Can biomechanical values and asymmetry predict bone stress injuries in collegiate distance runners? Sports Biomechanics https://doi.org/10.1080/14763141.2025.2506563
  • HEStewart, RS Alcantara, KA Farina, ME Hahn,AM Grabowski, R Kram, RR Wilcox, and JL McNitt-Gray. Can ground reaction force variables pre-identify the probability of a musculoskeletal injury in collegiate distance runners? Journal of Applied Biomechanics https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.2023-0226
  • BJ Needles & AM Grabowski. Does Running Speed affect the Performance Improvements Experienced by Elite Distance Runners Wearing Advanced Footwear Technology Spikes? Journal of Applied Physiology Nov. 19, 2024
  • SP Allen, GB Diaz, &AM Grabowski.The Effect of Unequal Crank Arm Lengths and Cycling-Specific Prostheses for Recreational Riders with a Transtibial AmputationMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 56(10):1976-1987, October 2024.DOI:10.1249/MSS.0000000000003480
  • JR Tacca, ZA Colvin, & AM Grabowski. Greater than recommended stiffness and power setting of a stance-phase powered leg prosthesis can improve step-to-step transition work and effective foot length ratio during walking in people with transtibial amputation. Frontiers in Bioengineering doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1336520
  • KR Ashcraft & AM Grabowski. Prosthetic Stiffness and Added Mass Affect Metabolic Power and Asymmetry in Female Runners with a Leg Amputation Journal of Applied Physiology
  • BJ Needles & AM Grabowski. Letter to the Editor: When Does Technology Become Too Advanced for Track and Field? Journal of Applied Physiology
  • CE Hirschmann, JR Montgomery, & AM Grabowski. The contribution of lower-limb joint quasi-stiffness to theoretical leg stiffness during level, uphill and downhill running at different speeds. Royal Society Open Science
  • SP Allen & AM Grabowski. The spring stiffness profile within a passive, full-leg exoskeleton affects lower-limb joint mechanics while hopping. Royal Society Open Science
  • JR Tacca, ZA Colvin, & AM Grabowski. Low-profile prosthetic foot stiffness category and size, and shoes affect axial and torsional stiffness and hysteresis. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences
  • GB Diaz, RS Alcantara, & AM Grabowski. Maximum velocity and leg-specific ground reaction force production change with radius during flat curve sprinting. Journal of Experimental Biology jeb.246649.
  • JH Zhang-Lea, JR Tacca, ON Beck, P Taboga, & AM Grabowski. Equivalent running leg lengths require prosthetic legs to be longer than biological legs during standing. Scientific reports 13 (1), 7679.