USF Health SPTRS Assistant Professors, Drs. Dustin Hardwick and Matthew Lazinski, co-authored the chapter, “Measuring the Performer and Performance” in Scholarly Research for Musicians, due to be released January 2017.  Their contribution to the book addresses areas of body measurement during a musician’s performance—specifically focusing on posture, muscle activation, motion capture, and electromyography. The purpose of their work was to develop specific research questions aimed at recognizing different measurement tools and identifying when they should be appropriately used.

As Physical Therapists, Drs. Hardwick and Lazinski are able to analyze kinetics, which address the forces responsible for joint movement. With such measurements, Physical Therapists begin to map an overall picture of motion in an individual. This allows one to identify why and how a musician’s movements contribute to the melody you hear.