Clinical and Occupational Kinesiology Laboratory (LACO)

Lab coordinator: Ana Beatriz de Oliveira, Ph.D.

The LACO aims to understand the biomechanical exposure of workers and seek scientific evidence for developing intervention strategies capable of promoting health in different occupational groups. The lab also aims to understand the biological mechanisms that differentiate men’s and women’s development of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. Research projects are conducted in controlled and real occupational environments; therefore, the lab has portable devices for recording biomechanical exposure (electromyograph, digital inclinometer, and electrogoniometer). Recently, the lab has been dedicated to studying workers' physical activity profiles using accelerometers and investigating strategies that break sedentary behavior in different groups of workers. LACO is also dedicated to the evaluation and physical therapy intervention of individuals with temporomandibular disorders and associated impairments. Research projects and student fellowships are funded internally by the PPGFT/UFSCar, and by state and national funding agencies (i.e., FAPESP, CAPES, CNPq, PIBIC/CNP). International collaborations: Prof. Svend Erik Mathiassen, University of Gävle, Sweden; Prof. Pascal Madeleine, Aalborg University; Prof. Julie Côté, McGill University, Canada; Prof. Susan Armijo-Olivo, University of Applied Sciences Hochschule Osnabruck, Germany; and Prof. Corine Visscher, Acta, Netherlands.