New Professor Seeks to Reduce Workplace Injuries

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Kaitlin Gallagher

Kaitlin Gallagher, assistant professor of kinesiology, wants to help find new ways to reduce the number of occupational injuries that occur while an employee is standing.

Gallagher received her degree in kinesiology from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario. After graduating with her doctorate in November, she began work on the University of Arkansas campus in January 2015.

Gallagher's research focuses on the changing mannerisms of the workplace. Many professionals are changing the way they work from sitting to standing to reduce sedentary work, she said; however, about 50 percent of people may develop low back pain while standing for a long period of time.

This is why a lot of work needs to be done to create better guidelines for standing in the workplace in order to build a better dynamic in the office so that it allows for people to be active at work without the potential of facing an injury while standing.