In 2025, our Voices took part in a study to help researchers understand the impact of daily activities on the spine. Find out what they did, and how to get involved.
What’s the title of the study?
Prediction of the Vertebral Load and Motion Spectrum for Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
What’s the project about?
When breast cancer spreads to the bones, one of the common places for it to spread to is the spine. This can weaken the spine, making it painful and more likely to fracture.
Researchers at the University of Leeds have been investigation how daily tasks can put strain on the spine, and lead to risk of injury for people with metastatic (secondary) breast cancer in the spine.
They created a computer model to help calculate and visualise the strain that’s put on the spine, and the possible risk of injury.
How did Voices get involved?
In 2025 the researchers recruited women people living primary breast cancer with no metastatic diagnosis to take part in the research. They wanted to model the impact of daily activites on spines with no metastases, so they could easily compare it with affected spines.
2 Voices took part in the research. They came to Chapel Allerton Hospital in Leeds to take part. The researchers collected data using motion capture technology. Participants did daily tasks such as picking up objects or walking whilst the researchers recorded their movements.
Researchers are using this data to create a computer simulation which shows the strain that different activities put on the spine, to help them calculate the risk of fracture.
What’s happened so far?
Currently, the researchers have collected data from over 50 women. They want to ensure that the data they collect is representative of the population. They’re still recruiting people to take part in the study.
What are the next steps?
The outcomes of the study are being shared with other researchers working on the project to help them create a framework for calculating the risk of fracture.
This will help them to create an implant for the spine which can be used to support the spine and prevent it from fracturing.
The researchers are still recruiting more women who don’t have metastatic breast cancer for the study. They will soon be recruiting women with metastatic breast cancer that has spread to the spine to compare with initial dataset.
If you’re interested in taking part, please contact Faizal at M.F.KamarolZaman@leeds.ac.uk.
Get involved
Participate in the study and help researchers understand how daily activities can impact the spine, and help them create effective support for people living with metastatic breast cancer in the spine.