The Problem:
Musculoskeletal Disorders are leading contributors to the global burden of chronic pain. Recognized as a disease in its own right since 2019, chronic pain impacts one in five Canadians. Chronic pain costs the Canadian economy up to $60 billion a year in health care, lost wages and taxes – more than cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes combined. Musculoskeletal chronic pain is complex because it includes biological, psychological and social components, which were identified as critical targets by the Canadian Pain Task Force, established in 2019 by the Canadian government.

Our Mission:
The IMPRinT Lab aims to respond to the essential need to reduce the burden of musculoskeletal chronic pain in Canada. We will do so by systematically and comprehensively investigating pain with movement from the lab to the community. Our work will inform novel evaluation and rehabilitation strategies through the execution of high-quality multidisciplinary research aimed at improving our understanding of pain with movement. The most important and impactful social value of this research program lies in its potential to advance health services and treatment options available to Canadians and people worldwide.

About The Team:
Dr. Lisa Carlesso, Dr. Luciana Macedo and Dr. Tara Packham collectively represent a cross-disciplinary (physiotherapy and occupational therapy) collaboration with expertise in pain and movement that spans multiple musculoskeletal pain disorders. Dr. Carlesso has expertise in clinical epidemiology with her research program focusing on osteoarthritis joint pain and its underlying mechanisms. Dr. Macedo has expertise in clinical research including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and large data analysis. Her program of research is focused on common spinal disorders. Dr. Packham has expertise in mixed methods research and moving evidence into practice. Her research program focuses on post-surgical/post-traumatic pain, particularly in hand and upper limb disorders.