AK Clarke, AJ Ries, MH Schwartz, KM Steele (2026) Influence of body weight support on motor control in typically developing children and children with cerebral palsy

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Journal Article in Journal of Biomechanics

Despite reduced activation of key support muscles and kinematic changes, BWS has minimal impact on synergies for individuals with CP and TD peers

Aim: Body weight support (BWS) is often provided during rehabilitation interventions or activities of daily living with assistive devices for children with cerebral palsy (CP). How individuals alter their muscle activity and coordination in response to BWS provides insight into neuromuscular control and may inform the design of future interventions.

Methods: Children with CP (n = 12) and typically developing (TD) peers (n = 8) walked on a treadmill with 1%, 20%, 40%, and 60% BWS while electromyographic (EMG) data was recorded from 7 lower limb muscles. We computed muscle synergies from the EMG data using non-negative matrix factorization.

Results: As BWS increased, activity of support muscles like the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius decreased for both CP and TD groups. Children with CP had significantly reduced synergy complexity compared to TD peers (total variance accounted for by one synergy, tVAF1 = 76.3 for CP versus 67.4 for TD averaged across all conditions). However, synergy complexity did not change with BWS for either group.

Interpretation: Although BWS may assist mobility by reducing demand on support muscles, it does not directly modulate motor control.

Congratulations to Dr. Mia Hoffman – 2026 Graduate School Medal Recipient!

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Huge congratulations to Dr. Mia Hoffman, recipient of the University of Washington’s 2026 Graduate School Medal – awarded to doctoral graduates whose research and civic engagement drive real social change.

Mia’s dissertation grew out of a simple question: how could a toddler with cerebral palsy play alongside her sibling? That question led to the Switch Kit, a low-cost, customizable system that helps children with motor disabilities engage in play, co-designed with families, clinicians, and speech-language pathologists. Her leadership of HuskyADAPT helped bring adapted toys to families across Washington State.

Mia earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, co-advised by our own Dr. Kat Steele and Dr. Heather Feldner, and was also named to this year’s Husky 100. She’s headed to Ohio State for a postdoctoral fellowship, and eventually hopes to launch her own lab focused on mobility, accessibility, and play.

Congratulations, Dr. Hoffman – we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Read the full feature from the UW Graduate School.

Mia has long straight blonde hair and is wearing a white and black striped blazer on a balcony

Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab at the 2026 Undergraduate Research Symposium

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Congratulations to the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab undergraduates who presented their research at the University of Washington’s 29th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium on May 15! From oral presentations to posters, our students shared work spanning early mobility, gait analysis, and neuromodulation — proud moment for the whole lab.

Oral Presentations

Early Intervention Providers’ Perspectives on a Switch-Accessible Play Kit Analyzed Through an Interdependence Framework Alisha Bose (mentored by Mia Hoffman)

Muscular Coactivation Analysis in Toddlers with Hypotonia Spencer Hensley (mentored by Mia Hoffman)

Poster Presentations

Real-Time Bayesian Estimation of Steady-State Oxygen Consumption During Clinical Walking Trials for Neuromuscular-Impaired Individuals David Green (mentored by Mackenzie Pitts)

Object Detection Optimization for Movement Tracking of Young Children Using Mobility Aids Katie Leija (mentored by Mia Hoffman)

Effects of Bodyweight Support on the Gait Deviation Index of Children with Cerebral Palsy Alyssa Miller (mentored by Ally Clarke)

Evaluating the Effects of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation on Perceived Walking Performance and Exertion in Children with Cerebral Palsy Quinn Mundell (mentored by Madeleine McCreary)

Huge thanks to the graduate student mentors who supported these projects, and congratulations to all our presenters on a fantastic symposium!

Engineering Discovery Days 2026

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The University of Washington College of Engineering continued its long‑standing tradition of Engineering Discovery Days in 2026, bringing hands‑on STEM experiences to K–12 students, teachers, and families from across the state.

The UW Biomechanics community participated with the exhibit “Biomechanics Assemble! From Exoskeletons to Cytoskeletons,” showcasing how we study movement and forces across scales.

Visitors explored interactive demos including MyoDino, where muscle activity controlled a computer game using wireless EMG sensors, and a Grip Strength Challenge using a digital dynamometer to test and compare strength. Participants also engaged with 3D‑printed ankle–foot orthoses (AFOs) and hand models, learning how biomechanics and design support mobility and function.

It was a fun and impactful opportunity to spark curiosity, share our research, and inspire the next generation of engineers.

Introducing Dr. Mia Hoffman!

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Congratulations to Dr. Mia Hoffman on earning a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering!

Dr. Hoffman’s PhD dissertation was titled “Pathways to self‑initiated mobility: Adoption and use of mobility aids by young children with developmental disabilities.” Her work advanced understanding of how early mobility supports can promote exploration, participation, and development for children with disabilities.

Congratulations and best of luck as Mia moves forward as a President’s Postdoctoral Scholar at The Ohio State University, working with Dr. Jill Heathcock in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in the College of Medicine!