Christopher Burcal, Ph.D.
- ORCA Faculty Fellow
- Office of Research and Creative Activity
Research Interests
My research focuses on improving our understanding of how the body processes sensory information to plan for and refine movement. These are complex processes that happen almost automatically without us noticing but are critical to make sure that we move efficiently and effectively. I primarily focus in on understanding how sensory perception is altered in people with chronic ankle instability and people who suffer from poor outcomes following a lateral ankle sprain. My lab uses several approaches to measure movement outcomes using biomechanical techniques and I measure central nervous system activity using electroencephalography. I also have interest in sports biomechanics: understanding upper and lower extremity coordination in volleyball players, understanding efficiency in distance runners, and improving performance in tennis players. We conduct several sports biomechanics assessments within the Sports Medicine and Biomechanics research lab.