Featured McCaig Institute Trainee: Colin Firminger

He connected with McCaig Institute researcher Brent Edwards, who studies the biomechanics of musculoskeletal injuries, and decided to go back to school to combine his engineering background with his lifelong interest in sports.

For his master’s project, Colin studied the impact of minimalist footwear and stride length on metatarsal (foot bone) stress fractures in runners. Now working on his doctoral degree, he is looking at the role footwear and playing surface play in patellar tendonitis, or “jumper’s knee,” in basketball players.

In the future, Colin is considering a career in the footwear industry. “It would be cool to apply the principles that we’re using in our research to injury potential and protection rather than just comfort,” he says.