Hundza, Sandra
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Sandra Hundza, BSc(PT), PhD
University of Victoria |
CFN Interdisciplinary Fellow 2016 — Drew Commandeur
Dr. Hundza is an Associate Professor (Kinesiology) and Adjunct Professor (Medicine) at University of Victoria. She has an extensive clinical background in physiotherapy in the area of geriatrics as well as neurology and orthopaedics. This clinical background along with her academic background in neuroscience, has guided Dr. Hundza’ s study of gait, posture, and balance in older adults and other clinical populations, for the purpose of identifying early indicators of fall risk and mobility decline as well as to develop and enhance effective rehabilitation strategies to promote functional mobility and fall prevention. Much of this research is conducted in the Motion and Mobility Rehabilitation Lab, which was developed by Dr Hundza, and employs neurophysiological, biomechanical and motor behavioural measures. With colleagues, Dr. Hundza is studying the associations between the decline in cognition and mobility. This team is currently developing comprehensive, sensitive and specific early indicators of fall risk and cognitive decline in older adults (eg intra-individual variability for measures such as stride time). As fall risk and cognitive decline tend to develop over an extended period, understanding patterns of decline and pinpointing early predictors could inform preventive health care. A composite suite of indicators will inform the early detection of adverse events, changes in health status, as well as inform development and evaluation of interventions that delay or prevent adverse trajectories of mobility and cognitive decline.