Gait laboratory at NEHU first in eastern region

By Our Reporter

Biomechanics, a comparatively new branch of science, is making waves in global medical sphere. The subject analyses the mechanics of movement and is applied in not only solving the puzzles of human gait but also helps in providing solutions to critical physiological problems.
The Department of Biomedical Engineering at North-Eastern Hill University is doing intensive research on biomechanics to contribute to medical treatment that will be affordable and accessible to the common man.
Dinesh Bhatia, Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, says though research on biomechanics started in India years ago, it was restricted only to defence and academics at premier institutes like Indian Institute of Technology. The work that Bhatia and his team are doing is the first of its kind in the eastern region that has the potential to open up new avenues in medical science.
The department recently established a Human Biomechanics and Gait Laboratory with funding from the Department of Science and Technology, Delhi, and NEHU. This relatively new field covers a broad range of topics, including strength of biological materials, bio-fluid mechanics in the cardio-vascular and respiratory systems, material properties and interactions of medical implants, among other things.
“It is a vast field of study and comprises several sub-sections and we have specialised teams to research on different topics,” says Bhatia.
The laboratory comprises eight channel wireless electromyography equipment to record simultaneous muscle activity, force plate with force platform to measure the different forces and joint torques procured from the US along with eight cameras 3D motion capture system with reflective marker system procured from Germany.
“This is the first of its kind laboratory set-up in the eastern part of the country,” says Bhatia.
The professor says since football is a popular sport here and now that the northeastern clubs are showing their mettle, their performances can be enhanced by using biomechanics. “It is a common practice for coaches in Western countries to use the new form of science in studying the movements of players. This helps them in preventing injuries. In India, cricket is the only sports where biomechanics is applied because there is more money in that sport. Other sports too should take up the methods for better performance,” he adds.
Besides sports, there are other applications of biomechanics like in treating cerebral palsy and amputees. “A person with moto-neuron disease will have gait patterns different from a normal person. By studying that, we can give solutions to the patient’s problems,” says Bhatia.
For example, transcranial-magnetic stimulation, a magnetic method used to stimulate small regions of the brain, helps in treating a patient of cerebral palsy. Bhatia says such modern methods of medical science are expensive but with intensive research by local scientists and made-in-India equipment, the treatment can become affordable for all in the near future.
However, with the Centre stopping fund flow for basic research, it is a challenge for researchers like Bhatia and his team to sustain. “There should be participation by industries as part of their corporate social responsibility. Biomechanics is a vast topic and requires years of experiment. But despite all odds, we are trying our best to take it forward,” says the professor.
Also, intensive collaboration between researchers and medical experts is necessary. The NEHU department collaborates with doctors at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences for better results.