
Fields of Research (FoR)
Biomechanics, Human Movement and Sports Science, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Devices, Motor ControlBiography
My research group investigates the multi-factorial prioritization schemes of walking and running to broaden our understanding of how humans balance competing locomotor objectives. We also explore control targets involved in sensing and regulating optimality criteria. We then apply this knowledge to improve the design of assistive technology and rehabilitation protocols. The overarching vision of this work is to enhance mobility through a...view more
My research group investigates the multi-factorial prioritization schemes of walking and running to broaden our understanding of how humans balance competing locomotor objectives. We also explore control targets involved in sensing and regulating optimality criteria. We then apply this knowledge to improve the design of assistive technology and rehabilitation protocols. The overarching vision of this work is to enhance mobility through a deeper understanding of fundamental locomotor mechanics, energetics, and prioritization strategies.
My Grants
Year | Details |
2022 | American Society of Biomechanics Grants for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (GRADE) Program. Ensuring a sustainable future for the International Women in Biomechanics Community. Co-Investigators: Banks, C., Daniels, K., Ebrahimi, A. |
2021 | UNSW Medicine + Health, School of Health Sciences, Networking Seed Grant Scheme. Exploring device use recommendations to optimize health outcomes for children who use lower limb prostheses. Co-Investigators: Broderick, C., van Doorn, N., Scott, T. |
2021 | UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme. A portable solution for metabolic measurements. Co-Investigators: Arnold, R., Endre, Z., Héroux, M., Kark, L., Letton, M., Sturnieks, D., Thom, J., van Schooten, K., Ward, R. |
My Qualifications
2018 | PhD, The University of Western Australia |
2013 | BSc(Hons), The University of Western Australia |
2011 | BSc, The University of Western Australia |
My Research Activities
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Year | Details | Link |
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2022 | McDonald, K.A., Teater, R.T., Cruz, J.P., Zelik, K.E. Unilateral below-knee prosthesis users walking on uneven terrain: the effect of adding a toe joint to a passive prosthesis. Journal of Biomechanics. 138; 111115. doi: 10.1016/j.biomch.2022.111115 | Available Here |
2021 | Ziemnicki, D., Caputo, J., McDonald, K.A., Zelik, K.E. Development and Evaluation of a Prosthetic Ankle Emulator with an Artificial Soleus and Gastrocnemius. Journal of Medical Devices. 15(4); 045001. doi: 10.1115/1.4052518. | |
2021 | McDonald, K.A., Teater, R.T., Cruz, J.P., Kerr, J.T., Bastas, G., Zelik, K.E. Adding a toe joint to a prosthesis: walking biomechanics, energetics, and preference of individuals with unilateral below-knee limb loss. Scientific Reports. 11; 1924. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-81565-1 | Available Here |
2020 | Yandell, M., Ziemnicki, D., McDonald, K.A., Zelik, K.E. Characterizing the Comfort Limits of Forces Applied to the Shoulders, Thigh and Shank to Inform Exosuit Design. PLOS ONE. 15(2); e0228536. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228536 | Available Here |
2019 | McDonald, K.A., Cusumano, J.P., Peeling, P., Rubenson, J. Multi-objective control in human walking: insight gained through simultaneous degradation of energetic and motor regulation systems. Journal of The Royal Society Interface. 16(158); 20190227. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0227 | Available Here |
2019 | McDonald, K.A., Honert, E.C., Cook, O.S., Zelik, K.E. Unholey shoes: experimental considerations when estimating ankle joint complex power during walking and running. Journal of Biomechanics. 92; 61-66. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.05.031 | Available Here |
2019 | McDonald, K.A., Devaprakash, D., Rubenson, J. Is conservation of center of mass mechanics a priority in human walking? Journal of Experimental Biology. 222(9); jeb195172. doi: 10.1242/jeb.195172 | Available Here |
2019 | Nicholas, J.C., McDonald, K.A., Peeling, P., Jackson, B., Dimmock, J.A., Alderson, J.A., Donnelly, C.J. Pole dancing for fitness: the physiological and metabolic demand of a 60-minute class. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 33(10); 2704-10. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002889 | Available Here |
2019 | McDonald, K.A., Honert, E.C., Cook, O.S., Zelik, K.E. Ankle joint complex power during walking and running: effects of marker location, and shoe- vs. skin-mounted markers. Footwear Science. 11(Sup1); S51-S52. doi: 10.1080/19424280.2019.1606073 | Available Here |
2016 | McDonald, K.A., Stearne, S.M., North, I., Alderson, J.A., Pires, N.J., Rubenson, J. The role of arch compression and metatarsophalangeal joint dynamics in modulating plantar fascia strain in running. PLoS ONE. 11(4); e0152602. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152602 | Available Here |
2016 | Stearne, S.M., McDonald, K.A., Alderson, J.A., North, I., Oxnard, C.E., Rubenson, J. The foot’s arch and the energetics of human locomotion. Scientific Reports. 6; 19403. doi: 10.1038/srep19403 | Available Here |
2015 | Caulfield, S., McDonald, K.A., Dawson, B., Stearne, S.M., Green, B.A., Rubenson, J., Clemmons, T.D., Peeling, P. A comparison of haemolytic responses in fore-foot and rear-foot striking distance runners. Journal of Sport Sciences. 34(15); 1485-1490. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2015.1119300 | Available Here |
Conference Abstracts
Year | Details |
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2021 | Eveld, M.E., Wolfe, A.E., Cruz, J.P., Sifuentes, N.J., Ausec, B.N., Zelik, K.E., McDonald, K.A. Task-specific device use in paediatric prosthesis users. 12th Australasian Biomechanics Congress, Virtual |
2021 | McDonald, K.A., Teater, R.H., Zelik, K.E. Does a prosthetic toe joint affect mechanics or preference when persons with limb loss walk on uneven terrain? XXVIII Congress of the International Women in Biomechanics, Virtual |
2021 | Teater, R.T., McDonald, K.A., Zelik, K.E. Exploring Effects of Prosthetic Ankle and Toe Joint Range of Motion on Activities of Daily Living. XXVIII Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Virtual |
2021 | Ebrahimi, A., Kessler, S., Montgomery, J., Banks, C., McDonald, K., Daniels, K., Maharaj, J. What womxn want: Using the International Womxn in Biomechanics organization to help womxn in biomechanics thrive. XXVIII Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Virtual |
2021 | Ziemnicki, D.M., Caputo, J., McDonald, K.A., Zelik., K.E., Effects of an artificial gastrocnemius and powered ankle prosthesis on transtibial prosthesis user gait. 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Virtual |
2020 | Molitor, S., Zelik, K., McDonald, K. On the importance of applying appropriate joint angle normalization to multi-segment foot models. Biomedical Engineering Society Conference, Virtual |
2020 | Molitor, S., Zelik, K., McDonald, K. Comparison of joint mechanics of the dominant vs non-dominant lower limbs during locomotion. 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Virtual |
2020 | Teater, R.T., McDonald, K.A., Bastas, G., Zelik, K.E. Asymmetry, Instability and Functional Deficits in Transtibial Prosthesis Users During Squatting, Lifting and Sit-to-Stand. 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Virtual |
2020 | Ziemnicki, D.M., McDonald, K.A., Zelik., K.E. Combining an Artificial Gastrocnemius and Powered Ankle Prosthesis: Effects on Transtibial Prosthesis User Gait. 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Virtual |
2020 | McDonald, K.A., Cusumano, J.P., Hieronymi, A., Rubenson, J. Decoupling the metabolic and neuromuscular cost of human walking. Dynamic Walking 2020, Virtual |
2019 | McDonald, K.A., Teater, R.H., Cook, O.S., Bastas, G., Zelik, K.E. The Biomechanical and Met-toe-bolic Effects of Walking on a Passive Prosthetic Foot with an Added Toe Joint. XXVII Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Calgary, Canada |
2019 | Teater, R.H., McDonald, K.A., Cook, O.S., Bastas, G., Zelik, K.E. Addition of a Passive Toe Joint: Considerations for Passive and Powered Ankle-Foot Prosthesis Design. XXVII Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Calgary, Canada |
2019 | McDonald, K.A., Honert, E.C., Cook, O.S., Zelik, K.E. Ankle joint complex power during walking and running: effects of marker location, and shoe- vs. skin-mounted markers. XXVII Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Calgary, Canada |
2019 | McDonald, K.A., Hieronymi, A., Cusumano, J.P., Rubenson, J. Optimization in Human Walking: Decoupling Whole-Body Energetics and Local Muscle Effort. XXVII Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Calgary, Canada |
2019 | McDonald, K.A., Honert, E.C., Cook, O.S., Zelik, K.E. Ankle joint complex power during walking and running: effects of marker location, and shoe- vs. skin-mounted markers. 14th Biennial Footwear Biomechanics Symposium, Kananaskis, Canada |
2018 | Nicholas, J.C., McDonald, K.A., Peeling, P., Jackson, B., Dimmock, J.A., Alderson, J.A., Donnelly, C.J. The physiological and metabolic demand of a standardized 60-minute pole dancing class. 23rd Annual Congress of the European College for Sport Science, Dublin, Ireland |
2016 | McDonald, K.A., Peeling, P., Rubenson, J. Preferred walking speed selection in normal and perturbed gait environments. 40th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Raleigh, USA |
2016 | McDonald, K.A., Peeling, P., Rubenson, J. Preferred walking speed selection in normal and unstable gait environments. Biomechanics and Neural Control of Movement, Sterling, USA |
2015 | McDonald, K.A., Stearne, S.M., North, I., Alderson, J.A., Rubenson, J. The role of arch compression and metatarsophalangeal joint dynamics in modulating plantar fascia strain in running. XXV Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Glasgow, UK |
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
PhD & Masters
The Locomotion Research Group is always on the lookout for applicants with a keen interest in locomotor biomechanics, optimality and/or assistive technology. Domestic and international candidates can apply for an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship through the University of New South Wales, with multiple rounds/start dates available each year. Please get in touch via email if you would like to discuss these opportunities further.
Undergraduate
Undergraduate students from the University of New South Wales who are interested in i) learning more about Honours/4th year research projects, or ii) volunteering as a research assistant, are encouraged to email Dr McDonald to discuss.
Currently supervising
Year | Student | Topic area | University | Supervisory Role |
2022 | Eve Coleman, Honours Student | Pediatric prosthetics | UNSW | Primary supervisory |
2022 | Logan Lock, Honours Student | Paediatric prosthetics | UNSW | Primary supervisor |
2021-present | Key Nahan, PhD student | Locomotor optimality | UNSW | Primary supervisor |
My Teaching
HESC2451: Biomechanics
HESC2452: Movement Assessment and Instruction
Location
ORCID as entered in ROS
