Episode

Drs. Christopher Malaya and Joshua Haworth

Drs. Chris Malaya and Josh Haworth discuss motor control, posture and chiropractic research in this episode. Dr. Chris Malaya is a research associate at Parker University in Dallas, Texas. He graduated from Parker in 2018 with a Doctorate in Chiropractic and is currently pursuing a PhD in Motor Control from the University of Houston. His current research interests are in sensorimotor integration, postural control and adaptation, as well as the neural mechanisms of manual manipulation. His overall goal is to help expand the foundational mechanisms and practical applications of manual joint manipulation as it relates to movement and neural rehabilitation.

Dr. Josh Haworth’s research focuses on the mechanisms responsible for the integration of sensorimotor information in the production of human behavior. He uses eye-tracking combined with motion capture and posturographic measures to identify motor strategies used during daily tasks like upright standing, walking, and interpersonal communication. Extensions of this work include the identification of early indicators of clinical disorders and the production of novel therapeutic modalities. He has many active collaborations with colleagues in fields including chiropractic science and pediatric rehabilitation technology. He is focused to better understand the development of motor and social-cognitive skills in children with, and without, autism. 

View Dr. Christopher Malaya’s research at Parker University and researchgate.net and Dr. Josh Haworth’s research at Oakland University and researchgate.net.

Below are the studies that Drs. Chris Malaya and Josh Haworth discuss in this interview.

1.Immediate impact of extremity manipulation on dual task performance: a randomized, crossover clinical trial.Malaya CA, Haworth J, Pohlman KA, Smith DL.Chiropr Man Therap. 2021 Feb 5;29(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s12998-021-00366-5.PMID: 33541378 Free PMC article.
2.Impact of Extremity Manipulation on Postural Sway Characteristics: A Preliminary, Randomized Crossover Study.Malaya CA, Haworth J, Pohlman KA, Powell C, Smith DL.J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2020 Jun;43(5):457-468. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2019.02.014. Epub 2020 Aug 14.PMID: 32800642

Is sitting killing you? What kind of posture should you have seated or standing? How much time should you sit versus stand at work? How much spine flexion is too much? Can chiropractic manipulation help with seated postures? These are some of the many questions that are addressed in this interview. Dr. Diana De Carvalho is an Assistant Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland in the Discipline of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine. She holds the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation Professorship in Spine Biomechanics and is cross-appointed to the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation.

After completing a BSc in Human Kinetics at the University of Guelph (2002), she attended the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College graduating with the class of 2006. Concurrent to part-time clinical practice, Dr. De Carvalho completed a Certificate in University Teaching along with her MSc (2008) and PhD (2015) in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo. She has extensive experience with industry-partnered research involving both automotive and ergonomic office seating.

Directly related to decreased productivity, decreased quality of life and high health care costs, low back pain might be the first of many negative health outcomes experienced by sedentary workers. Dr. De Carvalho’s research program focuses on spine mechanics, especially in response to sustained flexion, in order to better define and direct early diagnosis, prevention and intervention strategies for low back pain.
In addition to numerous peer-reviewed conference presentations both at the national and international level, Dr. De Carvalho has published articles in such journals as JMPT, Applied Ergonomics and Human Factors and she is an editorial board member of the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association.

Here is a link to Dr. De Carvalho’s webpage at Memorial University.

You can find Dr. De Carvalho’s publications here.

Below are the articles we discussed in the podcast: