Dr. Aaron Kociolek
Areas of Specialization:
Biomechanics and Ergonomics
Research Interests:
General: Occupational biomechanics, Ergonomics, Neuromuscular control, Work-related musculoskeletal disorders, Injury prevention
Specific: Wrist and hand biomechanics, Pathomechanics, Injury mechanisms, Sensorimotor function, Ergonomic assessment methods, Workplace interventions
Methods: Surface and fine wire electromyography, Motion capture, CyberGlove, Ultrasound imaging, Computer modelling, Cadaver tissue testing
Current & Future Research:
Lab-Based Research:
Quantifying tendon motion and shear in the carpal tunnel;
Defining normative wrist and hand metrics for functional capacity evaluation;
Developing a realistic hand model with motion capture;
Validating the CyberGlove III during realistic work simulation;
Sensorimotor adaptations during physically and cognitively demanding work with simultaneous exposure to whole-body vibration
Field-Based Research:
Ergonomic assessment of hand-held needle versus needle-free injectors for medicine and vaccine delivery in the Canadian Pork Industry;
6-axis measurement of head/neck vibration while operating all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
Current Research Funding:
Development of a comprehensive toolkit for evaluating workplace musculoskeletal injury interventions: swine injection technologies. 2016–2018. Funded by the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba for $100,000.00 (Role: Co-Investigator).
The combined effects of whole body vibration and fatiguing tasks on human performance: addressing risk factors for vehicle collisions. 2016–2017. Funding from the College of Medicine Research Award, University of Saskatchewan for $28,592.00 (Role: Co-Investigator).
Zeng X, Kociolek AM, Khan MI, Milosavljevic S, Bath B, Trask C. Whole-body vibration exposure patterns in Canadian Prairie farmers. Ergonomics, Accepted on October 17, 2016.
Tat J, Kociolek AM, Keir PJ. Relative displacement of tendon and subsynovial connective tissue using ultrasound capture different phenomena than mechanical tendon shear. Journal of Biomechanics, Accepted on September 30, 2016.
Kociolek AM, Keir PJ. 2016. Relative motion between the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon and paratenon in zone V increases with wrist flexion angle. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 34 (7), 1248-1255.
Cocchiarella DM, Kociolek AM, Tse CTF, Keir PJ. 2016. Toward a realistic optoelectronic-based kinematic model of the hand: representing the transverse metacarpal arch reduces accessory rotations of the metacarpophalangeal joints. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 19 (6), 639−647.
Kociolek AM, Keir PJ. 2015. Development of a kinematic model to predict finger flexor tendon and subsynovial connective tissue displacement in the carpal tunnel. Ergonomics, 58 (8), 1398−1409.
Kociolek AM, Tat J, Keir PJ. 2015. Biomechanical risk factors and flexor tendon frictional work in the cadaveric carpal tunnel. Journal of Biomechanics, 48 (3), 449–455.
Tat J, Kociolek AM, Keir PJ. 2015. Validation of colour Doppler ultrasonography for evaluating relative displacement between flexor tendon and subsynovial connective tissue. Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, 34 (4), 679–687.
MacIntosh AR, Vignais N, Cocchiarella DM, Kociolek AM, Keir PJ. 2014. The influence of muscle action on joint loading during dynamic finger pressing tasks in an open-source modelling environment. International Journal of Human Factors Modelling and Simulation, 4 (3/4), 162–176.
Tat J, Kociolek AM, Keir PJ. 2013. Repetitive differential finger motion increases shear strain between the flexor tendon and subsynovial connective tissue. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 31 (10), 1533–1539.
Eger TR, Kociolek AM, Dickey JP. 2013. Comparing health risks to load-haul-dump vehicle operators exposed to whole-body vibration using EU Directive 2002/44EC, ISO 2631-1, and ISO 2631-5. Minerals, 3 (1), 16–35.
Kociolek AM, Keir PJ. 2011. Modelling tendon excursions and moment arms of the finger flexors: anatomic fidelity versus function. Journal of Biomechanics, 44 (10), 1967–1973.
Kociolek AM, Eger TR, Grenier SG. 2011. A biomechanical investigation of forces applied to the lift truck steering wheel: effects of posture, gender, and hand contact on cumulative low back loading. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 12 (6), 544–557.
Kociolek AM, Keir PJ. 2010. Reliability of distal upper extremity posture matching using slow-motion and frame-by-frame video methods. Human Factors, 52 (3), 441–455.