Mary Klein, PhD
Research Scientist

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute
Korman Suite 204
1200 West Tabor Road
Philadelphia, PA 19141-3099
Telephone: 215-456-7864
Fax: 215-456-5926
E-mail: mklein@einstein.edu

 

The application of engineering principles to improve or supplement human performance is an area that has always interested me. My initial training in biomedical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute gave me a better understanding of the human body as a system and how the environment can impact this system in a variety of ways. The desire to learn more about the interactions between human beings and the objects and environments they design and use is the reason I chose to focus my graduate training in the area of ergonomics and received my doctorate from Wichita State University.

During my doctoral training and after graduation, I worked as an ergonomic consultant. I performed worksite and equipment evaluations for various companies including Rubbermaid, Inc., Farmland Foods, Koch, Inc., and Cessna Aircraft. Through my work experience, I gained a greater appreciation for the injuries that can result when there is a mismatch between the demands of a working task and the capacity of the individual who is performing the task. The desire to know more about how these injuries develop is what led me to research in muscle overuse at Moss.

Initially, hired as the project director on a federally-funded study of muscle overuse in polio survivors, I have now focused my attention on upper extremity overuse and functional performance problems in populations with lower extremity impairment.

At Moss, I have the opportunity to apply my engineering skills in a rehabilitation environment. By definition, rehabilitation endeavors to restore function to normal or as close to normal as possible, while the goal of ergonomics is to enhance the functional capacity of people by optimizing the fit between the person and the object, process, or environment. As part of a collaboration between these two disciplines, I have learned a great deal about the problems associated with aging and disability and am actively searching for new ways to demonstrate how ergonomic principles and techniques can be integrated in the rehabilitation of these patients.

Research Focus

• Musculoskeletal problems associated with upper extremity overuse in populations with lower extremity impairment: Individuals with significant lower extremity weakness often rely on their upper extremities to assist with daily activities, particularly those associated with mobility and transfers. In populations with lower extremity impairment, the repetitive use of the arms to compensate during weight-bearing activities can result in secondary disabilities related to overuse, including compression neuropathies and musculoskeletal deterioration. Dr. Klein is currently involved in studying the prevalence and treatment of overuse disorders in post-polio and elderly populations. It is hoped that this research will help clarify the relationship between muscle weakness and overuse and will allow for the development of effective treatment and prevention programs.

Funding Sources

Dr. Klein has received funding for her research from the Department of Education / National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. She has also received a seed money grant from the Albert Einstein Society.

Selected Publications:

• Klein MG, Whyte J, Keenan MA, Esquenazi A, Polansky M. Changes in strength over time among polio survivors. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2000; 81: 1059-1064.
• Klein, MG, Whyte, Keenan MA, Esquenazi A, Polansky M. The relationship between lower extremity strength and shoulder overuse symptoms: a model based on polio survivors. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2000; 81: 789-795.
• Fernandez JE, Marley RJ, Fredericks TK, Klein MG: Psychophysically Acceptable Limits Expressed as a Percentage of Sampling Intervals. In: Occupational Ergonomics and Safety III. G Lee (Ed.), pp. 101-104, 1999.
• Klein MG and Fernandez JE. The effect of posture, duration and force on a pinching task. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 1997; 20(4): 267-275.
• Kim CH, Marley RJ, Fernandez JE, Klein MG: Acceptable Work Limits for the Upper Extremities with the Psychophysical Approach. Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea 13(2): 57-63, 1994.
• Fernandez JE, Klein MG, Goodwin DC. Range of motion of the wrist for elementary school children: a comparative study. Advances in Industrial Ergonomics and Safety V. R Nielsen and K Jorgensen (Ed.) Taylor and Francis, 1993.
• Fernandez JE, Dahalan JB, Klein MG, Kim CH. Effect of handle diameter on maximum wrist flexion and extension. Advances in Industrial Ergonomics and Safety III. W Karwowski and J Yates (Ed.) Taylor and Francis, 1991.

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