Education:

Ph.D., Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
B.A., Mathematics and Fine Art, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts


Biomechanics of musculoskeletal joints and injury prevention.

Our most recent work is focused on the in vivo study of the normal, pathological, and healing musculoskeletal joint. Measurement of biomechanical variables such as 3D kinematics, ligament strain, and joint contact are performed with our novel in vivo methods using sequential CT scans. Earlier studies on ligament impact biomechanics and muscle contusion injuries examined the basic science of injuries. Applied work on injuries has lead to the development of a telemetry system for measuring head acceleration in athletes and to a study of the performance differences between wood and aluminum baseball bats. Current studies are aimed at in vivo cartilage strains, mechanotransduction of chondrocytes, and the multi-directional biomechanics of the spine.

I also consult on injury prevention and protective sports equipment to manufacturers and various governing bodies including the NCAA, NHFS, National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), USA Baseball, US Lacrosse, and the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Association.


Recent Publications (of 109):

Crisco JJ, Pike S, Hulsizer-Galvin DL, Akelman E, Weiss A-PC, Wolfe SW; Carpal bone postures and motions are abnormal in both wrists of patients with unilateral scapholunate interosseous ligament tears. J. Hand Surgery, 28(6): 926-937, 2003

Sonenblum SE, Crisco JJ, Kang L, Akelman E, In vivo motion of the scaphotrapezio-trapezoidal (STT) joint. J. Biomechanics, 37(5): 645-652, May 2004.

Spenciner D, Greene D, Paiva J, Palumbo M, Crisco JJ. The Multi-directional Bending Stiffness of the Human Lumbar Intervertebral Disc, The Spine Journal 2003; 3(5S):160S.

Marai GE, Laidlaw DH, Demiralp C, Andrews S, Grimm CM, Crisco JJ; Estimating joint contact areas and ligament lengths from bone kinematics and surfaces. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 51(5): 790-799, May, 2004.

Moore DC, Pedrozo HA, Crisco JJ, Ehrlich MG, Preformed grafts of porcine small intestine submucosa (SIS) for bridging segmental bone defects, J Biomed Mater Res 69A: 259-266, 2004.

Belanger MJ, Moore DC, Crisco JJ, Fadale PD, Hulstyn MJ, Ehrlich MG. Knee Laxity Does Not Vary with the Menstrual Cycle, Before or After Exercise. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 32(5):1150-1157, July/August 2004.

Crisco JJ, Chu JJ, Greenwald RM. An Algorithm for Estimating Acceleration Magnitude and Impact Using Multiple Non-Orthogonal Single-Axis Accelerometers, Journal Biomechanical Engineering, 2004 Dec 126(6):849-54

Weiss AP, Moore DC, Infantolino C, Crisco JJ, Akelman E, McGovern RD; Metacarpophalangeal Joint Mechanics After 3 Different Silicone Arthroplasties. J. Hand Surgery, 29(5):796-803, 2004 Sept.

Crisco JJ, Coburn JC, Moore DC, Upal MA. Carpal Bone Size and Scaling in Men and Women. Journal of hand Surgery, 30(1):35-4, 2005 Jan.

Duma SM, Maoogian SJ, Bussone WR, Brolinson PG, Goforth MW, Donnenwerth JJ, Greenwald RM, Crisco JJ. Analysis of Real Time Head Accelerations in Collegiate Football Players. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 15(1):3-8, 2005 Jan.

Coburn J, Crisco JJ, Interpolating Three-Dimensional Kinematic Data Using Quaternion Splines and Hermite Curves, Journal of Biomechanical 91. Wolfe SW, Orr C, Marzke M, Crisco JJ, Clinical and Anthropological significance of the Dart-thrower's motion of the wrist, The Journal of Hand Surgery, accepted August 2006.Engineering, 127(2):311-317, April 2005.

Spenciner D, Palumbo M, Green D, Paiva J, Crisco JJ. The Multi-Directional Bending Properties of the Human Lumbar Intervertebral Disc. The Spine Journal. Accepted August, 2005

Crisco JJ, Coburn JJ, Drewniak LI, Spenciner DB, Physical and Mechanical Properties of Various Field Lacrosse Balls, Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 21:383-393, November, 2005.

Crisco JJ, Coburn JJ, Moore DC, Akleman E, Weiss A-PC, Wolfe SW, In Vivo Radiocarpal Kinematics and the Dart Thrower’s Motion, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 87(12):2729-40, 2005.

Marai GE, Laidlaw DH, Crisco JJ, Super-Resolution Registration Using Tissue-Classified Distance Fields. IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, 25(2):177-87. 2006.

Coburn, JC, Upal, MA, Crisco JJ, Coordinate Systems for the Carpal Bones of the Wrist, Journal of Biomechanics, 2006 (in press).

Alford JW, Bradley MP, Moore DC, Crisco JJ, Fadale PD, Ehrlich MG, Resorbable Fillers Reduce Stress Risers from Screw Holes, J Trauma 2006 (in press)

Spenciner DB, Greene D, Paiva J, Palumbo M, Crisco JJ, The multidirectional bending properties of the human lumbar intervertebral disc. Spine J, 2006 May- June; 6(3):248-257.

Andermahr J, Lozano-Calderon S, Trafton TT, Crisco JJ, Ring D, The Volar Extension of the Lunate Facet of the Distal Radius: A Quantitative Anatomic Study, Journal of Hand Surgery, 2006 (in press).

Yang X, Vezeridis P, Nicholas B, Crisco JJ, Moore DC, Chen Q, Differential Expression of Type X Collagen in a Mechanically Active 3-D Chondrocyte Culture System: a Quantitative Study, J Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, accepted June 2006

Society Memberships:

American Society of Biomechanics (ASB)

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS)

International Society of Biomechanics (ISB)

Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS)

International Society for Skiing Safety (ISSS)