Understanding movement. Improving lives.
Movement is central to how we function, participate in society and experience quality of life. When movement is affected by disease, injury, ageing or other challenges, rehabilitation can help people regain or maintain function and independence.
MOVANT investigates how people move, why movement changes, and how movement and rehabilitation can be improved. We combine clinical research, movement science, exercise physiology and technology to understand movement across health and disease, and to translate this knowledge into better assessment, prevention and rehabilitation.
What drives our research?
Our research is guided by four fundamental questions:
- How do people move? How can we measure movement, motor control and physical function accurately and meaningfully?
- Why does movement change? How do disease, injury, ageing, behaviour and environmental factors affect movement and functioning?
- How does the body adapt? How do the brain, muscles, metabolism, sensory systems and other body systems respond to movement, exercise and rehabilitation?
- How can we improve movement and functioning? Which interventions work, for whom, and under which circumstances? And how can technology help us develop more personalised rehabilitation?
Three perspectives on movement
Our research brings together three complementary perspectives. Together, they allow us to study movement from measurement and adaptation to the underlying metabolic and physiological processes.
MoveMe — MOVE & MEASURE - How can we measure movement and motor control?
We develop and apply methods to quantify movement, motor control and functional performance. We investigate how objective measurements can improve assessment, monitoring and rehabilitation.
MoveAdapt — MOVE & ADAPT - How does the body adapt to exercise, disease and rehabilitation?
We study how people adapt to changes in their body, environment and behaviour. We investigate the mechanisms underlying recovery, adaptation and functioning, with the aim of improving rehabilitation strategies.
MetaMove — MOVE & METABOLISM - How do metabolism and body systems influence movement and health?
We investigate the interaction between movement and metabolic, muscular, vascular, lymphatic, skin and connective-tissue processes, and how these systems respond to exercise, disease and rehabilitation.
Where we turn research questions into measurements
Our research is supported by specialised laboratories that provide advanced facilities for studying movement, exercise physiology and human function.
Explore all MOVANT laboratories →
M²OCEAN - Movement analysis: Measuring and understanding human movement, motor control and functional performance.
M²RUN - Exercise physiology & metabolism: Investigating physiological and metabolic responses to exercise.
M²SENS - Sensory & motor function: Studying sensory function, motor responses and their role in human movement and rehabilitation.
What do we study?
Movement is influenced by many interacting systems. Within our three focus domains, MOVANT researchers study a broad range of health conditions and functional challenges.
- Musculoskeletal health - Neuromotor disorders · chronic shoulder complaints · chronic low back pain · temporomandibular disorders · pelvic floor disorders · osteoarthritis
- Neurological & sensory function - Stroke · chronic pain · tinnitus · vestibular disorders · balance and motor control · neurodevelopment
- Metabolism & exercise - Diabetes · obesity · exercise physiology · cardiorespiratory fitness · metabolic adaptation
- Cardiovascular & respiratory health - Heart failure · cardiovascular rehabilitation · cardiorespiratory training · lung rehabilitation
- Cancer rehabilitation - Breast cancer · cancer-related pain · fatigue · lymphedema · recovery and participation
- Skin & connective tissue - Burns · surgical scars · tissue adaptation · functional consequences of tissue changes
Our research areas often overlap. Many of our research questions involve several body systems, conditions or perspectives at the same time.
Who do we study?
Movement and rehabilitation research needs to reflect the diversity of real life. We therefore work with different populations across the lifespan and across health and disease.
- Across the lifespan - Children · adults · older adults
- Across health and disease - Healthy participants · patients · people at risk of functional decline
- In different contexts - Athletes · artists · people in physically demanding occupations · women during the postnatal period · other specific populations
This diversity helps us understand not only how movement changes, but also how research findings can be translated into meaningful improvements in everyday life.
Discover our research
Explore the research that brings the MOVANT mission to life.
Explore our research projects →
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