Laboratory of Christopher Ferrigno, PhD, PT

Christopher Ferrigno, PhD, PT is an associate professor in the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology and Director, Human Anatomy Laboratory. In his doctoral work, he was trained as both an anatomist and a biomechanist with a focus on 3D motion analysis. He holds a clinical master’s degree in Physical Therapy from Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University) and a Bachelor of Science in Education from University of Georgia. His research focuses on anatomy education and developing conservative biomechanical treatments for musculoskeletal joint disorders and disease.

Our work

Recent biomechanical projects focus on:

  • improving conservative treatment options available to patients with knee osteoarthritis
  • enhancing accuracy of limited weight bearing following lower limb fracture repair
  • using portable and clinically appropriate tools to quantify knee torques
  • developing a motion assessment that can discriminate between stable and unstable knees following joint replacement

Recent anatomy education projects focus on:

  • developing activities in the pre-clerkship curriculum which enhance team-based learning
  • improving teaching approaches to health science education that improve student performance and satisfaction
  • facilitating students to identify anatomical variation and describing them in scientific literature

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Technology and methods

The work of Dr. Ferrigno occurs within the Motion Analysis Laboratory at Rush University, in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.  Directed by Dr. Markus Wimmer, this lab combines 3D motion of the human body with other biomechanical input to recreate the movement, loading and muscular contribution during a variety of tasks. The laboratory is equipped to quantify detailed movement of the feet, ankles, knees and hips during functional tasks including walking on level or ramped surfaces, ascending or descending stairs, and sitting into, or rising from, a chair. The laboratory is also outfitted to assess upper extremity and full body motion for dynamic activities such as pitching, though this is not the focus of Dr. Ferrigno’s research.

Some of the equipment used in Ferrigno’s research include:

Other equipment in the laboratory include:

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Grants

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Publications

Motion Analysis Laboratory

  1. Ganguly A, Olmanson BA, Knowlton CB, Wimmer M, Ferrigno C. (2023) Accuracy of the Fully Integrated Insole3’s Estimates of Spatiotemporal Parameters during Walking. Medical Engineering and Physics, Jan; 111: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2022.103925
  2. Cramer LA, Wimmer MA, Malloy P, O’Keefe JA, Knowlton CB, Ferrigno, C. (2022) Validity and Reliability of the Insole3 Instrumented Shoe Insole for Ground reaction Force Measurement during Walking and Running. Sensors, 22(6), 2203. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22062203
  3. He J, Lippman K, Shakoor N, Ferrigno C, Wimmer MA.  Unsupervised Gait Retraining Using a Wireless Pressure-Detecting Shoe Insole. Gait and Posture, May; 70: 408-413, 2019. PMID: 30986588
  4. Ferrigno C, Wimmer MA, Trombley RM, Lundberg HJ, Shakoor N, Thorp LE.  A Reduction in the Knee Adduction Moment with Medial Thrust Gait is Associated with a Medial Shift in Center of Plantar Pressure. Medical Engineering and Physics, July; 38(7): 615-21, 2016. PMID: 27158051
  5. Ferrigno C, Stoller I, Thorp LE, Shakoor N, Wimmer MA.  The Feasibility of Using Augmented Auditory Feedback from a Pressure Detecting Insole to Reduce the Knee Adduction Moment: a Proof of Concept Study.  Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, Feb 1; 138(2), 2016. PMID: 26632644

Anatomy Education

  1. BJ Goldberg, C Ferrigno, AB Wilson. (2024) Employment Benefits Across U.S. Allopathic Medical Schools: National Norms and Relationships with Faculty Departures. Anatomical Sciences Education, 2024;00:1–10. doi.org/10.1002/ase.2379
  2. Griffith MJ, Ferrigno C, Wilson AB. (2023) Pulling Back the Curtain: Exploring Norms and Practices of Anatomy-Related Departments in U.S. Medical Schools. Anatomical Sciences Education, doi:10.1002/ase.2299
  3. Breckling A, Jones M, Katrikh A, Ferrigno C. (2022) Iliocapsularis: An Exploration of the Muscle and Its Omission in Education. Journal of Morphology. doi:10.1002/jmor.21468
  4. Ferrigno C, Smith, H. (2022) A Cigar in the Left Hand, a Paintbrush in the Right: Illustration and the Anatomical Science. Anatomical Record, 1-4. doi: 10.1002/ar.24916

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Our team

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Contact

Christopher Ferrigno, PhD, PT
Associate Professor
Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology
Rush University Medical Center
Armour Academic Facility
600 S Paulina St. Room 512G
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 563-2692
Email: christopher_ferrigno@rush.edu

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