Damon Mar, Ph.D.

Professional Background

Damon Mar, PhD is a research faculty member of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Dr. Mar is responsible for supporting clinical research within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine including physician-initiated research, resident research education, medical student research, and sponsored research projects. Dr. Mar also provides clinical research guidance for the Asher Spine Center and the Performance Center within the University of Kansas Health System.

• BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
• MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
• PhD, Biomechanics and Neural Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Spine Biomechanics, Texas Back Institute, Plano, Texas

Research

Overview

Dr. Mar’s primary research interests are in functional biomechanics of musculoskeletal diseases with a focus on spinal pathologies and the translation of traditional instrumented gait analyses in laboratory settings to modern clinical settings and daily life.

Dr. Mar’s current work focuses on investigating the impacts of spinal pathologies on postural balance and the application of objective functional metrics to inform surgical treatment strategies.

• Mar, D., E, Kisinde, S, Lieberman, I., H, Haddas, R. 2021. Representative dynamic ranges of spinal alignment during gait in patients with mild and severe adult spinal deformities.. The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society, 21 (3), 518-527
• Haddas, R, Wood, A, Mar, D, Derman, P, Lieberman, I. 2021. Reporting and tracking objective functional outcome measures: implementation of a summary report for gait and balance measures.. The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society, 21 (7), 1193-1204
• Haddas, R, Sandu, C., D, Mar, D, Block, A, Lieberman, I. 2021. Lumbar Decompression and Interbody Fusion Improves Gait Performance, Pain, and Psychosocial Factors of Patients With Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis.. Global spine journal, 11 (4), 472-479
• Haddas, R, Kosztowski, T, Mar, D, Boah, A, Lieberman, I., H. 2021. Balance effort, Cone of Economy, and dynamic compensatory mechanisms in common degenerative spinal pathologies.. Gait & posture, 89, 67-73
• Mar, D, Lieberman, I, Haddas, R. 2020. The Gait Deviation Index as an indicator of gait abnormality among degenerative spinal pathologies.. European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 29 (10), 2591-2599
• Mar, D., E, Clary, S., J, Ansley, B, Bunch, J., T, Burton, D., C, McIff, T., E. 2020. Biomechanics of prophylactic tethering for proximal junctional kyphosis: effects of cyclic loading on tether strength and failure properties.. Spine deformity, 8 (5), 863-870
• Haddas, R, Kisinde, S, Mar, D, Lieberman, I. 2020. Does improved radiographic alignment truly enhance dynamic functional balance?. Spine deformity, 8 (4), 685-694
• Wendling, A., C, Mar, D., E, Burkes, J., C, McIff, T., E. 2019. Effect of Ultrasound Frequency and Treatment Duration on Antibiotic Elution from Polymethylmethacrylate Bone Cement.. Kansas journal of medicine, 12 (2), 45-49
• Mullen, S., M, Toby, E., B, Mar, D., E, Bechtold, M, Vopat, B., G, Melugin, H, McIff, T., E. 2019. Initial Response of Mature, Experienced Runners to Barefoot Running: Transition to Forefoot Strike.. Kansas journal of medicine, 12 (4), 117-120
• Mar, D., E, Clary, S., J, Burton, D., C, McIff, T., E. 2019. Biomechanics of Prophylactic Tethering for Proximal Junctional Kyphosis: Characterization of Spinous Process Tether Pretensioning and Pull-Out Force.. Spine deformity, 7 (2), 191-196