ABOUT
Dr. Nicodemus graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2004 at 62 years of age. He currently is an Associate Professor and Director of OMM Clinical Research for the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine after nine years as a solo practitioner in Monterey, California. He did his residency in and is Board Certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine. He was a member of the Board of the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California and is a member of the AAO Louisa Burns Osteopathic Research Committee, a peer reviewer for JAOA, co-authored Chapter 8 on Biomechanics for the 4th edition of "Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine" with Michael Seffinger, DO, and contributed to the 5th edition of "Greenman’s Principles of Manual Medicine" with Lisa DeStefano, DO. He has published 15 articles in peer-reviewed journals and is a member of numerous medical and engineering societies. He is licensed in three states: Michigan, California and Nevada.
Dr. Nicodemus has a previous career of 25 years as a biomechanical engineer. He earned his BS, MS and PhD in engineering with specialty in Orthopedic Biomechanics from UC Davis. He was an engineering consultant to the California Department of Rehabilitation. He was later employed as a Principle Scientist and Man Systems Department manager at NASA/Johnson Space Center in Houston for six years with the Lockheed Corporation and then Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Director of Orthopedic Spine research as a research engineer at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston for seven years prior to attending medical school. During this same period of 25 years, Dr. Nicodemus was a part-time litigation consultant in Forensic Biomechanics as a Registered Professional Engineer.
RESEARCH
Dr. Nicodemus is the Clinical Research director for the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Department of MSUCOM. His research is supported by a three-year grant from MSU and MSUCOM. His focus is in understanding the common causes and optimum treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP). He is investigating the role of sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction as a major cause of CLBP along with the myriad other musculoskeletal symptoms that accompany it. His research includes clinical observations and trials as well as biomechanical laboratory studies into the role of the SI joint in the mechanics of lumbosacropelvic motion, as well as force transduction across their unique structure. This research includes 3D motion capture with EMG measurement, cadaver dissection, 3D modeling and FEA from cadaver CT scans, SI ligament strength testing.