Spine Neuromuscular Physiology Laboratory

Dr. Shahidi is an assistant professor with a clinical background in orthopaedic rehabilitation for chronic spine pain. Her research focuses on understanding tissue specific, neurophysiological and psychosocial contributions to the development and maintenance of spine pain and pathology. Her lab uses biological, physiological, and imaging-based tools to evaluate patient symptoms, tissue adaptability, and treatment outcomes. She is particularly interested in how interactions between psychology and physiology influence success with conservative and surgical management of chronic spine pain. Current projects include:

• Characterizing cellular mechanisms underlying muscle degeneration in individuals with lumbar spine pathology
• Measuring interactions between brain networks, pain processing, and spine injury in Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury
• Evaluating the influence of analgesic medications on tissue recovery in response to rehabilitation in individuals with low back pain
• Using non-invasive novel imaging tools to predict tissue recovery in response to surgery or rehabilitation in individuals with spine pain and pathology