ABLE Lab

Publications

Clinical Gait Biomechanics, Movement Variability, and Functional Assessment

Overall aim

This research focuses on characterizing gait dysfunction, movement variability, and functional impairments in clinical populations—particularly individuals with peripheral artery disease—using experimental biomechanics approaches. These studies aim to improve understanding of pathological gait patterns and evaluate the functional effects of clinical interventions. 

Publications (* corresponding author)

  • Rahman H, Leutzinger T, Hassan M, Schieber M, Koutakis P, Fuglestad M, DeSpiegelaere H, Longo M, Malcolm P, Johanning J, Casale G, Pipinos I, Myers S. Peripheral artery disease causes consistent gait irregularities regardless of the location of leg claudication pain. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 67, 2024. 
  • Fallahtafti F, Salamifar Z, Hassan M, Rahman H, Pipinos I, Myers S. Joint angle variability is altered in patients with peripheral artery disease after six months of exercise intervention. Entropy, 24(10), 2022.
  • AlRamini A, Hassan M, Fallahtafti F, Takallou M, Rahman H, Qolomany B, Pipinos I, Alsaleem F, Myers S. Machine learningbased peripheral artery disease identification using laboratorybased gait data. Sensors, 22(19), 2022.
  • Leutzinger T, Koutakis P, Fuglestad M, Rahman H, DeSpiegelaere H, Hassan M, Schieber M, Johanning J, Stergiou N, Longo M, Casale G, Myers S, Pipinos I. Peripheral artery disease affects the function of the legs of claudicating patients in a diffuse manner irrespective of the segment of the arterial tree primarily involved. PLoS ONE, 17(7), 2022. 
  • Rahman H*, Pipinos I, Johanning J, Casale G, Williams M, Thompson J, O’NeillCastro Y, Myers S. Claudicating patients with peripheral artery disease have meaningful improvement in walking speed after supervised exercise therapy. Journal of Vascular Surgery, 74(6), 2021.
  • Rahman H, Pipinos I, Johanning J, Myers S. Gait variability is affected more by peripheral artery disease than by vascular occlusion. PLoS ONE, 16(3), 2021. 

Computational and Musculoskeletal Modeling for Clinical Gait Research

Overall aim

This line of research leverages musculoskeletal modeling and simulation to quantify muscle function, joint mechanics, and human–device interactions during locomotion. By integrating experimental gait data with computational modeling, these studies provide mechanistic insight to support clinical interpretation and the design and optimization of assistive interventions. 

Publications (* corresponding author)

  • Williams J, Anderson C, Mohammadzadeh Gonabadi A, Fallahtafti F, Myers S, Rahman H*. Optimization of actuator stiffness and actuation timing of a passive ankle exoskeleton: A case study using a musculoskeletal modeling approach. Biomimetics, 11(1), 2025. 
  • Anderson C, Pipinos I, Johanning J, Myers S, Rahman H*. Effects of supervised exercise therapy on muscle function during walking in patients with peripheral artery disease. Bioengineering, 11(11), 2024.
  • Rahman H*, Anderson C, Pipinos I, Johanning J, Casale G, DeSpiegelaere H, Hassan M, Myers S. Muscle forces and power are significantly reduced during walking in patients with peripheral artery disease. Journal of Biomechanics, 135, 2022.

Orthopedic and Surgical Outcomes Research

Overall aim

This research evaluates orthopedic surgical techniques and approaches by examining their clinical, functional, and biomechanical outcomes. The findings support evidence‑based surgical decision‑making and help inform best practices in lower‑extremity orthopedic care.

Publications (* corresponding author)

  • Sartawi M, Kohlmann J, Abdelsamie K, Rahman H*. Watertight arthrotomy joint closure of modified intervastus approach in total knee arthroplasty. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(12), 2023. 
  • Sartawi M, Rahman H*, Yousef I, Kohlmann J. The Kuwait Stitch: A novel surgical technique for surgical wound closures. Health Science Reports, 5:e667, 2022.
  • Sartawi M, Rahman H*, Kohlmann J. Clinical and functional outcomes following modified intervastus approach. Techniques in Orthopaedics, 37(3), 2022.
  • Sartawi M, Rahman H*, Kohlmann J. Medial tibial plateau stress fracture following navigated total knee arthroplasty: two case reports. American Journal of Case Reports, 22, 2021. 
  • Sartawi M, Rahman H*, Kohlmann J, Levine B. First reported series of outpatient total knee arthroplasty in the Middle East. Arthroplasty Today, 6(4), 2020.
  • Sartawi M, Rahman H*, Kohlmann J, Leighton R, Kersh ME. A retrospective analysis of the modified intervastus approach. American Journal of Orthopedics, 47(12), 2018. 

Foundation and Musculoskeletal and Tissue Biomechanics

Overall aim

These foundational studies investigate the biomechanical structure, function, and injury‑related adaptations of musculoskeletal tissues. This work establishes the mechanical and biological underpinnings that inform later translational research in gait, movement, and clinical biomechanics.

Publications (* corresponding author)

  • Putterman A, Duffy DJ, Kersh ME, Rahman H, Moore GE. Effect of running continuous epitendinous suture pattern for flexor tendon repair in combination with threeloop pulley and locking loop suture patterns in a canine cadaveric model. Veterinary Surgery, 48(7), 2019. 
  • Rahman H, Currier E, Johnson M, Goding R, Johnson AW, Kersh ME. Primary and secondary consequences of rotator cuff injury on joint stabilizing tissues in the shoulder. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 139(11), 2017. 
  • Lee W, Rahman H, Kersh ME, Toussaint K. Application of quantitative secondharmonic generation microscopy to posterior cruciate ligament for crimp analysis studies. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 22(4), 2017.