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OrthoRaMS Seminar Series – Karen Kruger
Join us for the fall OrthoRaMS Seminar series featuring Karen Kruger, PhD presenting “From Childhood to Adulthood” Innovative Tools for Evaluating Foot and Ankle Deformities” on October 23, 2025 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM.
Clinical gait analysis provides an objective evaluation of walking
patterns in children with orthopaedic and neurologic conditions,
most commonly for preoperative planning in cerebral palsy. This
analysis combines motion capture, force plate data, physical
exam, electromyography, x-rays, and advanced modeling. Foot
and ankle analysis is particularly challenging in this population,
especially given the limitations of conventional marker-based
motion capture and x-rays. This talk will focus on novel imaging
modalities we are using to improve diagnoses of foot deformities.
This talk presents two complementary projects that address
these gaps. First, we are using weightbearing computed tomogra-
phy (WBCT), a technology that provides 3D imaging with similar
radiation exposure than conventional radiographs to define
structural predictors of symptom progression and improve early
diagnosis and treatment planning. Second, we are developing
methods for use of biplane fluoroscopy for evaluating hindfoot
kinematics in adults with cerebral palsy. Together, these efforts
aim to bridge research from childhood through adulthood,
advancing imaging and motion analysis to guide clinical deci-
sion-making and improve lifelong outcomes.
About Dr. Kruger:
Dr. Karen Kruger is a research associate professor at Marquette
University and Scientific Staff at Shriners Children. She completed
her BS in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Technological Uni-
versity and PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of
lowa with a concentration in orthopaedic biomechanics. Her
current work focuses on using motion analysis and imaging to
improve diagnosis and treatment of foot disorders, with a focus
on improving understanding during growth and development.