Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago
Walking is one of the first skills we learn in life, and one of the most important for maintaining independence, health, and quality of life. Yet as we age or develop chronic conditions, the way we walk often changes in subtle ways long before problems become obvious. In this evening lecture, Dr. Rendos will explore how walking develops across the lifespan, and why aging and chronic diseases affect the way we move, and how small changes in walking mechanics can have major consequences for balance, mobility, fall risk, and long-term independence. Drawing from biomechanics research and clinical studies, this talk will highlight why walking is not just an automatic movement, but a skill that can be protected, improved, and preserved at any age.
Dr. Nicole Rendos is a Research Scientist at IHMC with a secondary appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Movement Sciences and Health at the University of West Florida. Her research focuses on biomechanics and rehabilitation medicine, with a long-term goal of improving functional mobility and quality of life for individuals living with chronic disease – primarily diabetes and diabetes-related complications. Dr. Rendos is currently the Principal Investigator of a National Institutes of Health funded clinical trial examining the use of audiovisual biofeedback to improve walking mechanics in individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Dr. Rendos earned her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from West Virginia University in 2009 and a post-professional Master’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Virginia in 2010. She completed her PhD in biomechanics and exercise physiology at the University of Miami in 2015, followed by two post-doctoral fellowships in neurophysiology and rehabilitation medicine biomechanics. She holds multiple professional certifications in sports medicine and human performance as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and currently serves as the President-Elect of the Southeast Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine. Prior to joining IHMC, she served as an Assistant Professor in the School of Medicine at Emory University in Atlanta, GA for over five years and continues to maintain an academic affiliation with Emory.
This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.
ihmc.us/life/evening_lectures
Walking is one of the first skills we learn in life, and one of the most important for maintaining independence, health, and quality of life. Yet as we age or develop chronic conditions, the way we walk often changes in subtle ways long before problems become obvious. In this evening lecture, Dr. Rendos will explore how walking develops across the lifespan, and why aging and chronic diseases affect the way we move, and how small changes in walking mechanics can have major consequences for balance, mobility, fall risk, and long-term independence. Drawing from biomechanics research and clinical studies, this talk will highlight why walking is not just an automatic movement, but a skill that can be protected, improved, and preserved at any age.
Dr. Nicole Rendos is a Research Scientist at IHMC with a secondary appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Movement Sciences and Health at the University of West Florida. Her research focuses on biomechanics and rehabilitation medicine, with a long-term goal of improving functional mobility and quality of life for individuals living with chronic disease – primarily diabetes and diabetes-related complications. Dr. Rendos is currently the Principal Investigator of a National Institutes of Health funded clinical trial examining the use of audiovisual biofeedback to improve walking mechanics in individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Dr. Rendos earned her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from West Virginia University in 2009 and a post-professional Master’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Virginia in 2010. She completed her PhD in biomechanics and exercise physiology at the University of Miami in 2015, followed by two post-doctoral fellowships in neurophysiology and rehabilitation medicine biomechanics. She holds multiple professional certifications in sports medicine and human performance as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and currently serves as the President-Elect of the Southeast Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine. Prior to joining IHMC, she served as an Assistant Professor in the School of Medicine at Emory University in Atlanta, GA for over five years and continues to maintain an academic affiliation with Emory.
This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.
ihmc.us/life/evening_lectures
