CPR Spine members Professor Falla and Dr Martinez-Valdess received funding in September 2021:
When astronauts return to Earth, they are at increased risk of cervical intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation which can cause significant pain, weakness and numbness. Professor Falla has received funding from the UK Space Agency to study the causes that contribute to this increased risk of cervical IVD herniation using state-of-the-art methodologies to measure muscle behaviour. Such knowledge will provide the basis for future interventions aiming to reduce such risk.
Dr Martinez-Valdes’s project is funded by the Wellcome Trust (Institutional Strategic Support Fund, ISSF) to understand the neurophysiological processes related to the motor strategies employed during both experimental (acute) and chronic tendon pain while learning a novel visuomotor task. By combining electroencephalography measurements with high-density surface electromyography motor unit decomposition, we aim to understand how the brain controls muscles during the acquisition and retention of new motor skills in the presence of pain. The results of the present research will not only help to provide new knowledge about how pain alters the ability to learn new movements, but also will provide direct recommendations for clinical practice as we will understand the detrimental effects of pain while learning exercises.