Alexander Breen

BSc (Hons), MSc, Ph.D., MIPEM

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow and Technology Lead, Center for Biomechanics Research, AECC University College, Bournemouth, UK

 

 
Alexander Breen 045.JPG

Email: alexbreen@aecc.ac.uk

Twitter: @alexbreen83

Researchgate: Alexander_Breen

 

Research interests and skills

Alex is responsible for the biomechanical and computational processes involved in the AECC University College’s Quantitative Fluoroscopy (QF) system, as well as radiation protection.  He supervises and trains collaborative researchers and PhD students in the analysis of spine kinematics using this system.  He is also responsible for the maintenance, organisation, security and storage of all QF data as well of the fluoroscopic systems themselves.

Alex’s current work also involves combining QF and surface electromyography of the lumbar spine as well as the construction of individualised dynamic mathematical models of intervertebral loading based on QF and 3D MRI imaging.

Areas of interest: 

  • Musculoskeletal Research

  • Medical Physics

  • Spine

  • Biomechanics

  • Prosthetics

 

Ongoing research

  • Common mechanical themes among persons referred for Objective Spine Motion Imaging Assessment (CARL)

  • Clinical relevance of dynamic lumbar intervertebral motion sharing. (National Institute of Health Research)

  • Estimation of in vivo intervertebral loading during motion using fluoroscopic and magnetic resonance imaging informed finite element models. (Chiropractic Research Council)

  • Evaluation of residual limb movement of unilateral amputees within the prosthetic socket (Bournemouth University)

  • Minimal detectable change in intervertebral kinematic measures in human subjects (European Council for Chiropractic Research Excellence)

  • Comparison of intervertebral rotation centrodes in the cervical spines of patients with nonspecific neck pain and healthy controls (Institute for Musculoskeletal Research and Clinical Implementation)

  • Effects of spinal electrical muscle activation on lumbar spine intervertebral motion sharing (Institute for Musculoskeletal Research and Clinical Implementation)

  • Effects of a skinsuit to simulate gravitational forces in microgravity environments on lumbar intervertebral kinematics (Kings College London and European Space Agency)

 

Research publications

  • Ax Breen; R Hemming; F Mellor; A Breen. Intra-subject repeatability of in vivo intervertebral motion parameters using quantitative fluoroscopy. (Submitted June 2018)

  • Ax Breen; A Breen. Aberrant intervertebral motion in patients with treatment- resistant nonspecific low back pain: a retrospective cohort study and control comparison. European Spine Journal (Accepted June 2018)

  • Meakin J; Zanjani-pour S; Breen Ax; Breen A. Estimation of in vivo inter-vertebral loading during motion using fluoroscopic and magnetic resonance image informed finite element models. Journal of Biomechanics 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.09.025

  • Zanjani-Pour, S., Meakin, J. R., Breen, A., & Breen, A. (2017). Estimation of in vivo inter-vertebral loading during motion using fluoroscopic and magnetic resonance image informed finite element models. Journal of biomechanics.

  • Breen, A., & Breen, A. (2017). Uneven intervertebral motion sharing is related to disc degeneration and is greater in patients with chronic, non-specific low back pain: an in vivo, cross-sectional cohort comparison of intervertebral dynamics using quantitative fluoroscopy. European Spine Journal, 27(1), 145-153. [Download here]

  • Breen, A., & Breen, A. (2016). Accuracy and repeatability of quantitative fluoroscopy for the measurement of sagittal plane translation and finite centre of rotation in the lumbar spine. Medical Engineering and Physics, 38(7), 607-614. [Download here].

  • Breen, A. C., Dupac, M., & Osborne, N. (2015). Attainment rate as a surrogate indicator of the intervertebral neutral zone length in lateral bending: an in vitro proof of concept study. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 23(1), 28. [Download here].

  • Mellor, F. E., & Breen, A. C. (2013). Ionizing radiation exposure and the development of intervertebral disc degeneration—no case to answer. The Spine Journal, 13(3), 224-226.

  • van Loon, I. H., Mellor, F. E., & Breen, A. (2012). Accuracy and repeatability of sagittal translation of lumbar vertebrae in vitro and in vivo using quantitative fluoroscopy. Clinical Chiropractic, 15(3-4), 135-146.

  • Breen, A. C., Teyhen, D. S., Mellor, F. E., Breen, A. C., Wong, K. W., & Deitz, A. (2012). Measurement of intervertebral motion using quantitative fluoroscopy: report of an international forum and proposal for use in the assessment of degenerative disc disease in the lumbar spine. Advances in orthopedics, 2012. [Download here].