Adjustment of muscle mechanics model parameters to simulate dynamic contractions in older adults

Computing muscle, ligament, and osseous contributions to the elbow varus moment during baseball pitching

Baseball pitching imposes a dangerous valgus load on the elbow that puts the joint at severe risk for injury. The goal of this study was to develop a musculoskeletal modeling approach to enable evaluation of muscle-tendon contributions to mitigating elbow injury risk in pitching. We implemented a forward dynamic simulation framework that used a scaled biomechanical model to reproduce a pitching motion recorded from a high school pitcher. The medial elbow muscles generated substantial, protective, varus elbow moments in our simulations. For our subject, the triceps generated large varus moments at the time of peak valgus loading; varus moments generated by the flexor digitorum superficialis were larger, but occurred later in the motion. Increasing muscle-tendon force output, either by augmenting parameters associated with strength and power or by increasing activation levels, decreased the load on the ulnar collateral ligament. Published methods have not previously quantified the biomechanics of elbow muscles during pitching. This simulation study represents a critical advancement in the study of baseball pitching and highlights the utility of simulation techniques in the study of this difficult problem.

Consequences of biomechanically constrained tasks in the design and interpretation of synergy analyses

Matrix factorization algorithms are commonly used to analyze muscle activity and provide insight into neuromuscular control. These algorithms identify low-dimensional subspaces, commonly referred to as synergies, which can describe variation in muscle activity during a task. Synergies are often interpreted as reflecting underlying neural control; however, it is unclear how these analyses are influenced by biomechanical and task constraints, which can also lead to low-dimensional patterns of muscle activation. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether commonly used algorithms and experimental methods can accurately identify synergy-based control strategies. This was accomplished by evaluating synergies from five common matrix factorization algorithms using muscle activations calculated from 1) a biomechanically constrained task using a musculoskeletal model and 2) without task constraints using random synergy activations. Algorithm performance was assessed by calculating the similarity between estimated synergies and those imposed during the simulations; similarities ranged from 0 (random chance) to 1 (perfect similarity). Although some of the algorithms could accurately estimate specified synergies without biomechanical or task constraints (similarity >0.7), with these constraints the similarity of estimated synergies decreased significantly (0.3-0.4). The ability of these algorithms to accurately identify synergies was negatively impacted by correlation of synergy activations, which are increased when substantial biomechanical or task constraints are present. Increased variability in synergy activations, which can be captured using robust experimental paradigms that include natural variability in motor activation patterns, improved identification accuracy but did not completely overcome effects of biomechanical and task constraints. These results demonstrate that a biomechanically constrained task can reduce the accuracy of estimated synergies and highlight the importance of using experimental protocols with physiological variability to improve synergy analyses.

Simulation of a computational winding filament model with an exponential spring to represent titin

The goal of developing high fidelity simulation of muscle force is of considerable interest for the biomedical community. Traditionally Hill models have been incorporated. However, feasible scope of the Hill model is inherently limited, especially in light of the growing relevance of muscle history dependence. History dependence is considered to be significant for motor control and stability. Attempts have been made to augment the Hill model to emulate history dependence. The titin winding filament model best elucidates history dependence of muscle force including force enhancement. The recent version of the titin winding filament model accounts for the functionality of titin through a pulley linked with the contractile element and a linear spring to represent the elastic properties of titin. A new and more realistic amendment to the winding filament model is incorporation of an exponential spring to characterize the elastic properties of titin. A sensitivity study as a function of the titin exponential spring constant is presented. Overall the amalgamation of the titin exponential spring to the winding filament model improves the respective force enhancement characteristics with a relatively more optimal exponential spring constant that provides a maximal averaged coefficient of determination.

Co-simulation of neuromuscular dynamics and knee mechanics during human walking

This study introduces a framework for co-simulating neuromuscular dynamics and knee joint mechanics during gait. A knee model was developed that included 17 ligament bundles and a representation of the distributed contact between a femoral component and tibial insert surface. The knee was incorporated into a forward dynamics musculoskeletal model of the lower extremity. A computed muscle control algorithm was then used to modulate the muscle excitations to drive the model to closely track measured hip, knee, and ankle angle trajectories of a subject walking overground with an instrumented knee replacement. The resulting simulations predicted the muscle forces, ligament forces, secondary knee kinematics, and tibiofemoral contact loads. Model-predicted tibiofemoral contact forces were of comparable magnitudes to experimental measurements, with peak medial (1.95 body weight (BW)) and total (2.76 BW) contact forces within 4-17% of measured values. Average root-mean-square errors over a gait cycle were 0.26, 0.42, and 0.51 BW for the medial, lateral, and total contact forces, respectively. The model was subsequently used to predict variations in joint contact pressure that could arise by altering the frontal plane joint alignment. Small variations (±2 deg) in the alignment of the femoral component and tibial insert did not substantially affect the location of contact pressure, but did alter the medio-lateral distribution of load and internal tibia rotation in swing. Thus, the computational framework can be used to virtually assess the coupled influence of both physiological and design factors on in vivo joint mechanics and performance.

A novel computational framework for deducing muscle synergies from experimental joint moments

Prior experimental studies have hypothesized the existence of a "muscle synergy" based control scheme for producing limb movements and locomotion in vertebrates. Such synergies have been suggested to consist of fixed muscle grouping schemes with the co-activation of all muscles in a synergy resulting in limb movement. Quantitative representations of these groupings (termed muscle weightings) and their control signals (termed synergy controls) have traditionally been derived by the factorization of experimentally measured EMG. This study presents a novel approach for deducing these weightings and controls from inverse dynamic joint moments that are computed from an alternative set of experimental measurements-movement kinematics and kinetics. This technique was applied to joint moments for healthy human walking at 0.7 and 1.7 m/s, and two sets of "simulated" synergies were computed based on two different criteria (1) synergies were required to minimize errors between experimental and simulated joint moments in a musculoskeletal model (pure-synergy solution) (2) along with minimizing joint moment errors, synergies also minimized muscle activation levels (optimal-synergy solution). On comparing the two solutions, it was observed that the introduction of optimality requirements (optimal-synergy) to a control strategy solely aimed at reproducing the joint moments (pure-synergy) did not necessitate major changes in the muscle grouping within synergies or the temporal profiles of synergy control signals. Synergies from both the simulated solutions exhibited many similarities to EMG derived synergies from a previously published study, thus implying that the analysis of the two different types of experimental data reveals similar, underlying synergy structures.

Spinal mechanisms may provide a combination of intermittent and continuous control of human posture: predictions from a biologically based neuromusculoskeletal model

Several models have been employed to study human postural control during upright quiet stance. Most have adopted an inverted pendulum approximation to the standing human and theoretical models to account for the neural feedback necessary to keep balance. The present study adds to the previous efforts in focusing more closely on modelling the physiological mechanisms of important elements associated with the control of human posture. This paper studies neuromuscular mechanisms behind upright stance control by means of a biologically based large-scale neuromusculoskeletal (NMS) model. It encompasses: i) conductance-based spinal neuron models (motor neurons and interneurons); ii) muscle proprioceptor models (spindle and Golgi tendon organ) providing sensory afferent feedback; iii) Hill-type muscle models of the leg plantar and dorsiflexors; and iv) an inverted pendulum model for the body biomechanics during upright stance. The motor neuron pools are driven by stochastic spike trains. Simulation results showed that the neuromechanical outputs generated by the NMS model resemble experimental data from subjects standing on a stable surface. Interesting findings were that: i) an intermittent pattern of muscle activation emerged from this posture control model for two of the leg muscles (Medial and Lateral Gastrocnemius); and ii) the Soleus muscle was mostly activated in a continuous manner. These results suggest that the spinal cord anatomy and neurophysiology (e.g., motor unit types, synaptic connectivities, ordered recruitment), along with the modulation of afferent activity, may account for the mixture of intermittent and continuous control that has been a subject of debate in recent studies on postural control. Another finding was the occurrence of the so-called “paradoxical” behaviour of muscle fibre lengths as a function of postural sway. The simulations confirmed previous conjectures that reciprocal inhibition is possibly contributing to this effect, but on the other hand showed that this effect may arise without any anticipatory neural control mechanism.

The control of upright stance is a challenging task since the objective is to maintain the equilibrium of an intrinsically unstable biomechanical system. Somatosensory information is used by the central nervous system to modulate muscle contraction, which prevents the body from falling. While the visual and vestibular systems also provide important additional sensory information, a human being with only somatosensory inputs is able to maintain an upright stance. In this study, we used a biologically-based large-scale neuromusculoskeletal model driven only by somatosensory feedback to investigate human postural control from a neurophysiological point of view. No neural structures above the spinal cord were included in the model. The results showed that the model based on a spinal control of posture can reproduce several neuromechanical outcomes previously reported in the literature, including an intermittent muscle activation. Since this intermittent muscular recruitment is an emergent property of this spinal-like controller, we argue that the so-called intermittent control of upright stance might be produced by an interplay between spinal cord properties and modulated sensory inflow.

Finite element analysis of the human mastication cycle

The aim of this paper is to propose a biomechanical model that could serve as a tool to overcome some difficulties encountered in experimental studies of the mandible. One of these difficulties is the inaccessibility of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the lateral pterygoid muscle. The focus of this model is to study the stresses in the joint and the influence of the lateral pterygoid muscle on the mandible movement. A finite element model of the mandible, including the TMJ, was built to simulate the process of unilateral mastication. Different activation patterns of the left and right pterygoid muscles were tried. The maximum stresses in the articular disc and in the whole mandible during a complete mastication cycle were reached during the instant of centric occlusion. The simulations show a great influence of the coordination of the right and left lateral pterygoid muscles on the movement of the jaw during mastication. An asynchronous activation of the lateral pterygoid muscles is needed to achieve a normal movement of the jaw during mastication.

Musculoskeletal modelling deconstructs the paradoxical effects of elastic ankle exoskeletons on plantar-flexor mechanics and energetics during hopping

Experiments have shown that elastic ankle exoskeletons can be used to reduce ankle joint and plantar-flexor muscle loading when hopping in place and, in turn, reduce metabolic energy consumption. However, recent experimental work has shown that such exoskeletons cause less favourable soleus (SO) muscle-tendon mechanics than is observed during normal hopping, which might limit the capacity of the exoskeleton to reduce energy consumption. To directly link plantar-flexor mechanics and energy consumption when hopping in exoskeletons, we used a musculoskeletal model of the human leg and a model of muscle energetics in simulations of muscle-tendon dynamics during hopping with and without elastic ankle exoskeletons. Simulations were driven by experimental electromyograms, joint kinematics and exoskeleton torque taken from previously published data. The data were from seven males who hopped at 2.5 Hz with and without elastic ankle exoskeletons. The energetics model showed that the total rate of metabolic energy consumption by ankle muscles was not significantly reduced by an ankle exoskeleton. This was despite large reductions in plantar-flexor force production (40-50%). The lack of larger metabolic reductions with exoskeletons was attributed to increases in plantar-flexor muscle fibre velocities and a shift to less favourable muscle fibre lengths during active force production. This limited the capacity for plantar-flexors to reduce activation and energy consumption when hopping with exoskeleton assistance.

Use it or lose it: multiscale skeletal muscle adaptation to mechanical stimuli

Skeletal muscle undergoes continuous turnover to adapt to changes in its mechanical environment. Overload increases muscle mass, whereas underload decreases muscle mass. These changes are correlated with, and enabled by, structural alterations across the molecular, subcellular, cellular, tissue, and organ scales. Despite extensive research on muscle adaptation at the individual scales, the interaction of the underlying mechanisms across the scales remains poorly understood. Here, we present a thorough review and a broad classification of multiscale muscle adaptation in response to a variety of mechanical stimuli. From this classification, we suggest that a mathematical model for skeletal muscle adaptation should include the four major stimuli, overstretch, understretch, overload, and underload, and the five key players in skeletal muscle adaptation, myosin heavy chain isoform, serial sarcomere number, parallel sarcomere number, pennation angle, and extracellular matrix composition. Including this information in multiscale computational models of muscle will shape our understanding of the interacting mechanisms of skeletal muscle adaptation across the scales. Ultimately, this will allow us to rationalize the design of exercise and rehabilitation programs, and improve the long-term success of interventional treatment in musculoskeletal disease.

The effect of muscle weakness on the capability gap during gross motor function: a simulation study supporting design criteria for exoskeletons of the lower limb

Background

Enabling persons with functional weaknesses to perform activities of daily living (ADL) is one of the main challenges for the aging society. Powered orthoses, or exoskeletons, have the potential to support ADL while promoting active participation of the user. For this purpose, assistive devices should be designed and controlled to deliver assistance as needed (AAN). This means that the level of assistance should bridge the capability gap, i.e. the gap between the capabilities of the subjects and the task requirements. However, currently the actuators of exoskeletons are mainly designed using inverse dynamics (ID) based calculations of joint moments. The goal of the present study is to calculate the capability gap for the lower limb during ADL when muscle weakness is present, which is needed for appropriate selection of actuators to be integrated in exoskeletons.

Methods

A musculoskeletal model (MM) is used to calculate the joint kinematics, joint kinetics and muscle forces of eight healthy subjects during ADL (gait, sit-to-stand, stand-to-sit, stair ascent, stair descent). Muscle weakness was imposed to the MM by a stepwise decrease in maximal isometric force imposed to all muscles. Muscle forces were calculated using static optimization. In order to compensate for muscle weakness, ideal moment actuators that represent the motors of an exoskeleton in the simulation were added to deliver AAN required to perform the task.

Results

The ID approach overestimates the required assistance since it relies solely on the demands of the task, whereas the AAN approach incorporates the capabilities of the subject. Furthermore, the ID approach delivers continuous support whereas the AAN approach targets the period where a capability gap occurs. The level of muscle weakness for which the external demands imposed by ADL can no longer be met by active muscle force production, is respectively 40%, 70%, 80% and 30%.

Conclusions

The present workflow allows estimating the AAN during ADL for different levels of muscle weakness, which can be used in the mechatronic design and control of powered exoskeletons. The AAN approach is a more physiological approach than the ID approach, since the MM accounts for the subject-specific capabilities of the user.

Motion control of the ankle joint with a multiple contact nerve cuff electrode: a simulation study

The flat interface nerve electrode (FINE) has demonstrated significant capability for fascicular and subfascicular stimulation selectivity. However, due to the inherent complexity of the neuromuscular skeletal systems and nerve-electrode interface, a trajectory tracking motion control algorithm of musculoskeletal systems for functional electrical stimulation using a multiple contact nerve cuff electrode such as FINE has not yet been developed. In our previous study, a control system was developed for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) musculoskeletal systems with little prior knowledge of the system. In this study, more realistic computational ankle/subtalar joint model including a finite element model of the sciatic nerve was developed. The control system was tested to control the motion of ankle/subtalar joint angles by modulating the pulse amplitude of each contact of a FINE placed on the sciatic nerve. The simulation results showed that the control strategy based on the separation of steady state and dynamic properties of the system resulted in small output tracking errors for different reference trajectories such as sinusoidal and filtered random signals. The proposed control method also demonstrated robustness against external disturbances and system parameter variations such as muscle fatigue. These simulation results under various circumstances indicate that it is possible to take advantage of multiple contact nerve electrodes with spatial selectivity for the control of limb motion by peripheral nerve stimulation even with limited individual muscle selectivity. This technology could be useful to restore neural function in patients with paralysis.

Computationally efficient modeling of proprioceptive signals in the upper limb for prostheses: a simulation study

Accurate models of proprioceptive neural patterns could 1 day play an important role in the creation of an intuitive proprioceptive neural prosthesis for amputees. This paper looks at combining efficient implementations of biomechanical and proprioceptor models in order to generate signals that mimic human muscular proprioceptive patterns for future experimental work in prosthesis feedback. A neuro-musculoskeletal model of the upper limb with 7 degrees of freedom and 17 muscles is presented and generates real time estimates of muscle spindle and Golgi Tendon Organ neural firing patterns. Unlike previous neuro-musculoskeletal models, muscle activation and excitation levels are unknowns in this application and an inverse dynamics tool (static optimization) is integrated to estimate these variables. A proprioceptive prosthesis will need to be portable and this is incompatible with the computationally demanding nature of standard biomechanical and proprioceptor modeling. This paper uses and proposes a number of approximations and optimizations to make real time operation on portable hardware feasible. Finally technical obstacles to mimicking natural feedback for an intuitive proprioceptive prosthesis, as well as issues and limitations with existing models, are identified and discussed.

Validation of Hill-type muscle models in relation to neuromuscular recruitment and force-velocity properties: predicting patterns of in vivo muscle force

We review here the use and reliability of Hill-type muscle models to predict muscle performance under varying conditions, ranging from in situ production of isometric force to in vivo dynamics of muscle length change and force in response to activation. Muscle models are frequently used in musculoskeletal simulations of movement, particularly when applied to studies of human motor performance in which surgically implanted transducers have limited use. Musculoskeletal simulations of different animal species also are being developed to evaluate comparative and evolutionary aspects of locomotor performance. However, such models are rarely validated against direct measures of fascicle strain or recordings of muscle-tendon force. Historically, Hill-type models simplify properties of whole muscle by scaling salient properties of single fibers to whole muscles, typically accounting for a muscle's architecture and series elasticity. Activation of the model's single contractile element (assigned the properties of homogenous fibers) is also simplified and is often based on temporal features of myoelectric (EMG) activation recorded from the muscle. Comparison of standard one-element models with a novel two-element model and with in situ and in vivo measures of EMG, fascicle strain, and force recorded from the gastrocnemius muscles of goats shows that a two-element Hill-type model, which allows independent recruitment of slow and fast units, better predicts temporal patterns of in situ and in vivo force. Recruitment patterns of slow/fast units based on wavelet decomposition of EMG activity in frequency-time space are generally correlated with the intensity spectra of the EMG signals, the strain rates of the fascicles, and the muscle-tendon forces measured in vivo, with faster units linked to greater strain rates and to more rapid forces. Using direct measures of muscle performance to further test Hill-type models, whether traditional or more complex, remains critical for establishing their accuracy and essential for verifying their applicability to scientific and clinical studies of musculoskeletal function.

Musculotendon translational stiffness and muscle activity are modified by shear forces

BACKGROUND

In this study we investigate whether the nervous system is responsive to anterior-posterior shearing forces applied to the knee. Specifically, we examine whether the nervous system will increase musculotendon stiffness along the anterior-posterior degree-of-freedom via relative changes in muscle activation.

METHODS

While seated on a Biodex, 12 male participants performed knee extensor moments against a cuff at three different distances (265mm, 310mm, and 355mm) from the knee joint. This was done for each combination of knee angle (20°, 45°, 70°), moment (25%, 75% of maximum), and angular velocity (0°/s, 10°/s). By altering cuff position, the magnitude of the shear force could be changed while holding moment constant. We then calculated the 6-degree-of-freedom, musculotendon stiffness matrix of the knee and interpreted the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of this matrix using stiffness ellipses.

FINDINGS

Anterior-Posterior knee stiffness significantly increased with an increase in shear force at 20° and 45° of knee flexion. This coincided with significant increases in semitendinosus and vastus medialis activity.

INTERPRETATION

We found that the nervous system can significantly increase stiffness along a translational degree-of-freedom in response to translational loading, and did so by activating muscles geometrically oriented to provide stiffness along the anterior-posterior degree-of-freedom.

Predicting sagittal plane biomechanics that minimize the axial knee joint contact force during walking

Both development and progression of knee osteoarthritis have been associated with the loading of the knee joint during walking. We are, therefore, interested in developing strategies for changing walking biomechanics to offload the knee joint without resorting to surgery. In this study, simulations of human walking were performed using a 2D bipedal forward dynamics model. A simulation generated by minimizing the metabolic cost of transport (CoT) resembled data measured from normal human walking. Three simulations targeted at minimizing the peak axial knee joint contact force instead of the CoT reduced the peak force by 12-25% and increased the CoT by 11-14%. The strategies used by the simulations were (1) reduction in gastrocnemius muscle force, (2) avoidance of knee flexion during stance, and (3) reduced stride length. Reduced gastrocnemius force resulted from a combination of changes in activation and changes in the gastrocnemius contractile component kinematics. The simulations that reduced the peak contact force avoided flexing the knee during stance when knee motion was unrestricted and adopted a shorter stride length when the simulated knee motion was penalized if it deviated from the measured human knee motion. A higher metabolic cost in an offloading gait would be detrimental for covering a long distance without fatigue but beneficial for exercise and weight loss. The predicted changes in the peak axial knee joint contact force from the simulations were consistent with estimates of the joint contact force in a human subject who emulated the predicted kinematics. The results demonstrate the potential of using muscle-actuated forward dynamics simulations to predict novel joint offloading interventions.

ESTIMATION OF MUSCLE FORCE DERIVED FROM IN VIVO MR ELASTOGRAPHY TESTS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

The objective is to estimate the vastus medialis (VM) muscle force from multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography (MMRE) tests and two different rheological models (Voigt and springpot). Healthy participants (N = 13) underwent multifrequency (70, 90 and 110 Hz) magnetic resonance elastography MMRE tests. Thus, in vivo experimental elastic (μ) properties of the VM in passive and active (20% MVC) conditions were characterized. Moreover, the muscle viscosity (η) was determined with Voigt and springpot rheological models, in both muscle states. Subsequently, the VM muscle forces were calculated with a generic musculoskeletal model (OpenSIM) where the active and passive shear moduli (μ) were implemented. The viscosity measured with the two rheological models increased when the muscle is contracted. During the stance and the swing phases, the VM tensile forces decrease and the VM force was lower with the springpot model. It can be noted that during the swing phase, the muscle forces estimated from springpot model showed a higher standard deviation compared to the Voigt model. This last result may indicate a strong sensitivity of the muscle force to the change of active and passive contractile components in the swing phase of gait. This study provides for the first time an estimation of the muscle tensile forces for lower limb, during human motion, from in vivo experimental muscle mechanical properties. The assessment of individualized muscle forces during motion is valuable for finite element models, increasing the patient specific parameters. This novel muscle database will be of use for the clinician to better elucidate the muscle pathophysiology and to better monitor the effects of the muscle disease.

Flexing computational muscle: modeling and simulation of musculotendon dynamics

Muscle-driven simulations of human and animal motion are widely used to complement physical experiments for studying movement dynamics. Musculotendon models are an essential component of muscle-driven simulations, yet neither the computational speed nor the biological accuracy of the simulated forces has been adequately evaluated. Here we compare the speed and accuracy of three musculotendon models: two with an elastic tendon (an equilibrium model and a damped equilibrium model) and one with a rigid tendon. Our simulation benchmarks demonstrate that the equilibrium and damped equilibrium models produce similar force profiles but have different computational speeds. At low activation, the damped equilibrium model is 29 times faster than the equilibrium model when using an explicit integrator and 3 times faster when using an implicit integrator; at high activation, the two models have similar simulation speeds. In the special case of simulating a muscle with a short tendon, the rigid-tendon model produces forces that match those generated by the elastic-tendon models, but simulates 2-54 times faster when an explicit integrator is used and 6-31 times faster when an implicit integrator is used. The equilibrium, damped equilibrium, and rigid-tendon models reproduce forces generated by maximally-activated biological muscle with mean absolute errors less than 8.9%, 8.9%, and 20.9% of the maximum isometric muscle force, respectively. When compared to forces generated by submaximally-activated biological muscle, the forces produced by the equilibrium, damped equilibrium, and rigid-tendon models have mean absolute errors less than 16.2%, 16.4%, and 18.5%, respectively. To encourage further development of musculotendon models, we provide implementations of each of these models in OpenSim version 3.1 and benchmark data online, enabling others to reproduce our results and test their models of musculotendon dynamics.

On the derivation of a tensor to calculate six degree-of-freedom, musculotendon joint stiffness: implications for stability and impedance analyses

Major joints, such as the knee, shoulder, and spine, can buckle along the translational degrees-of-freedom (DoF), causing injury to ligaments and other passive tissues. Despite this, stability and impedance analyses have focused primarily on the rotational DoF. As such, mathematical models quantifying musculotendon translational stiffnesses remain limited and, to our knowledge, there are no published works that explicitly describes the interactions between DoF. Using an energy approach, we derived a six DoF stiffness tensor and provided the necessary equations needed to quantify the musculotendon stiffness of any joint. Using a knee model, we then compared the derived stiffness tensor against two commonly used measures: one that excludes translational DoF and another that excludes interactions between DoF. We found that both of these measures had large over-estimations of stiffness, particularly for the rotational DoF, compared to our derived tensor. These findings indicate that previous analyses may have found rotational DoF to be stable when they were unstable.

Neuromechanical properties of the triceps surae in young and older adults

The aim of this study was to compare voluntary and involuntary force generating capacity of the triceps surae muscles in healthy young and older adult participants during isometric and isokinetic contractions. Ultrasound was used to measure medial gastrocnemius (MG) fascicle length during maximal voluntary isometric contractions and supra-maximal isometric twitch contractions at five ankle angles throughout the available range of motion, as well as isokinetic concentric and eccentric contractions at four ankle velocities. Maximum voluntary activation of the plantar flexors was assessed using the twitch interpolation technique. Peak plantar flexor torque was significantly lower in older adults compared to young participants by 42%, 28% and 43% during maximal voluntary isometric contractions, supra-maximal isometric twitch and concentric contractions respectively. No age-related differences in eccentric torque production were detected. When age-related differences in triceps surae muscle volume determined from MRI were taken into account, the age-related peak plantar flexor torque deficits for maximum voluntary isometric, supra-maximal twitch, and concentric contractions were 24%, 19% and 24% respectively. These age-related differences in torque were not explained by torque-length-velocity behaviour of the MG muscle fascicles, passive plantar flexor torque-angle properties, decreased neural drive of the plantar flexor muscles or antagonistic co-activation of the tibialis anterior muscle. The residual deficit in isometric and concentric plantar flexor torques in healthy older adults may involve reduced muscle quality. A significant reduction in supra-maximal twitch torque at longer MG fascicle lengths as well as a lower MG fascicle velocity during eccentric contractions in older adults was detected, which could possibly be a function of the reported increased Achilles tendon compliance in older adults.

Muscle function during gait is invariant to age when walking speed is controlled

Older adults walk more slowly, take shorter steps, and spend more time with both legs on the ground compared to young adults. Although many studies have investigated the effects of aging on the kinematics and kinetics of gait, little is known about the corresponding changes in muscle function. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the actions of the lower-limb muscles in accelerating the body's center of mass (COM) in healthy young and older adults. Three-dimensional gait analysis and subject-specific musculoskeletal modeling were used to calculate lower-limb muscle forces and muscle contributions to COM accelerations when both groups walked at the same speed. The orientations of all body segments during walking, except that of the pelvis, were invariant to age when these quantities were expressed in a global reference frame. The older subjects tilted their pelves more anteriorly during the stance phase. The mean contributions of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, vasti, gastrocnemius and soleus to the vertical, fore-aft and mediolateral COM accelerations (support, progression and balance, respectively) were similar in the two groups. However, the gluteus medius contributed significantly less to support (p<0.05) while the gluteus maximus and contralateral erector spinae contributed significantly more to balance (p<0.05) during early stance in the older subjects. These results provide insight into the functional roles of the individual leg muscles during gait in older adults, and highlight the importance of the hip and back muscles in controlling mediolateral balance.

Empirical assessment of dynamic hamstring function during human walking

The hamstrings are often associated with the development of crouch gait, a fatiguing form of walking characterized by excessive hip flexion, knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion during stance. However, recent studies have called into question whether abnormally active hamstrings induce the limb to move into a crouch posture. The purpose of this study was to directly measure the influence of the hamstrings on limb posture during stance. Nineteen healthy young adults walked on an instrumented treadmill at their preferred speed. A 90 ms pulse train was used to stimulate the medial hamstrings during either terminal swing or loading response of random gait cycles. Induced motion was defined as the difference in joint angle trajectories between stimulated and non-stimulated strides. A dynamic musculoskeletal simulation of normal gait was generated and similarly perturbed by increasing hamstring excitation. The experiments show that hamstring stimulation induced a significant increase in posterior pelvic tilt, knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion during stance, while having relatively less influence on the hip angular trajectory. The induced motion patterns were similar whether the hamstrings were stimulated during late swing or early stance, and were generally consistent with the direction of induced motion predicted by gait simulation models. Hence, we conclude that overactive hamstrings have the potential to induce the limb to move toward a crouch gait posture.

How muscle fiber lengths and velocities affect muscle force generation as humans walk and run at different speeds

The lengths and velocities of muscle fibers have a dramatic effect on muscle force generation. It is unknown, however, whether the lengths and velocities of lower limb muscle fibers substantially affect the ability of muscles to generate force during walking and running. We examined this issue by developing simulations of muscle-tendon dynamics to calculate the lengths and velocities of muscle fibers from electromyographic recordings of 11 lower limb muscles and kinematic measurements of the hip, knee and ankle made as five subjects walked at speeds of 1.0-1.75 m s(-1) and ran at speeds of 2.0-5.0 m s(-1). We analyzed the simulated fiber lengths, fiber velocities and forces to evaluate the influence of force-length and force-velocity properties on force generation at different walking and running speeds. The simulations revealed that force generation ability (i.e. the force generated per unit of activation) of eight of the 11 muscles was significantly affected by walking or running speed. Soleus force generation ability decreased with increasing walking speed, but the transition from walking to running increased the force generation ability by reducing fiber velocities. Our results demonstrate the influence of soleus muscle architecture on the walk-to-run transition and the effects of muscle-tendon compliance on the plantarflexors' ability to generate ankle moment and power. The study presents data that permit lower limb muscles to be studied in unprecedented detail by relating muscle fiber dynamics and force generation to the mechanical demands of walking and running.

Altered hip muscle forces during gait in people with patellofemoral osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to (1) assess whether higher vasti (VASTI), gluteus medius (GMED), gluteus maximus (GMAX) and gluteus minimus (GMIN) forces are associated with participant characteristics (lower age, male gender) and clinical characteristics (lower radiographic disease severity, lower symptom severity and higher walking speed); and (2) determine whether hip and knee muscle forces are lower in people with patellofemoral joint (PFJ) osteoarthritis (OA) compared to those without PFJ OA.

DESIGN

Sixty participants with PFJ OA and 18 (asymptomatic, no radiographic OA) controls ≥40 years were recruited from the community or via referrals. A three-dimensional musculoskeletal model was used in conjunction with optimisation theory to calculate lower-limb muscle forces during walking. Associations of peak muscle forces with participant and clinical characteristics were conducted using Pearson's r or independent t-tests and between-group comparisons of mean peak muscle forces performed with walking speed as a covariate.

RESULTS

Peak muscle forces were not significantly associated with participant, symptomatic or radiographic-specific characteristics. Faster walking speed was associated with higher VASTI muscle force in the PFJ OA (r = 0.495; P < 0.001) and control groups (r = 0.727; P = 0.001) and higher GMAX muscle force (r = 0.593; P = 0.009) in the control group only. Individuals with PFJ OA (N = 60) walked with lower GMED and GMIN muscle forces than controls (N = 18): GMED, mean difference 0.15 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01 to 0.29] body weight (BW); GMIN, 0.03 [0.01 to 0.06] BW. No between-group differences were observed in VASTI or GMAX muscle force: VASTI, 0.10 [-0.11 to 0.31] BW; GMAX, 0.01 [-0.11 to 0.09] BW.

CONCLUSION

Individuals with PFJ OA ambulate with lower peak hip abductor muscle forces than their healthy counterparts.

Muscular strategy shift in human running: dependence of running speed on hip and ankle muscle performance

Humans run faster by increasing a combination of stride length and stride frequency. In slow and medium-paced running, stride length is increased by exerting larger support forces during ground contact, whereas in fast running and sprinting, stride frequency is increased by swinging the legs more rapidly through the air. Many studies have investigated the mechanics of human running, yet little is known about how the individual leg muscles accelerate the joints and centre of mass during this task. The aim of this study was to describe and explain the synergistic actions of the individual leg muscles over a wide range of running speeds, from slow running to maximal sprinting. Experimental gait data from nine subjects were combined with a detailed computer model of the musculoskeletal system to determine the forces developed by the leg muscles at different running speeds. For speeds up to 7 m s(-1), the ankle plantarflexors, soleus and gastrocnemius, contributed most significantly to vertical support forces and hence increases in stride length. At speeds greater than 7 m s(-1), these muscles shortened at relatively high velocities and had less time to generate the forces needed for support. Thus, above 7 m s(-1), the strategy used to increase running speed shifted to the goal of increasing stride frequency. The hip muscles, primarily the iliopsoas, gluteus maximus and hamstrings, achieved this goal by accelerating the hip and knee joints more vigorously during swing. These findings provide insight into the strategies used by the leg muscles to maximise running performance and have implications for the design of athletic training programs.

Age-related neuromuscular adaptation does not affect the mechanical efficiency of lower limbs during walking

Ageing involves modifications of the locomotor system which is believed to increase energy consumption. This study aimed at verifying whether neuromuscular adaptation due to ageing, in conjunction with age-related modifications of the muscle-tendon actuators, involves greater muscle-tendon workload. Ten young and 7 elderly healthy subjects were assessed using gait analysis while walking at comparable speed. Planar models of muscle-driven locomotion, accounting for 14 muscles grouped into 9 equivalent actuators, were developed. Muscle-tendon forces were estimated by using the inverse-dynamic based static optimization where cost functions were tuned to capture the different muscle co-activation between groups. Following this, tendon and muscle shortening/lengthening was computed, and muscle-tendon work was estimated and compared between groups. Results showed that both groups produced comparable muscle mechanical work, though shared differently among muscles. In particular, young subjects showed a greater workload of ankle plantaflexor muscles and older subjects used greater eccentric energy at the knee extensors during stance phase. Moreover, young people used more elastic energy than older people. These findings suggest that the combination adaptation due to ageing, in conjunction with age-related modifications of the muscle-tendon actuators, do not significantly increase the overall energetic output of locomotion. Moreover, the motor control system appears to be characterised by a degree of adaptation which allows older individuals to achieve biomechanical efficiency comparable to younger subjects.

Sensitivity of model predictions of muscle function to changes in moment arms and muscle-tendon properties: a Monte-Carlo analysis

Hill-type muscle models are commonly used in musculoskeletal models to estimate muscle forces during human movement. However, the sensitivity of model predictions of muscle function to changes in muscle moment arms and muscle-tendon properties is not well understood. In the present study, a three-dimensional muscle-actuated model of the body was used to evaluate the sensitivity of the function of the major lower limb muscles in accelerating the whole-body center of mass during gait. Monte-Carlo analyses were used to quantify the effects of entire distributions of perturbations in the moment arms and architectural properties of muscles. In most cases, varying the moment arm and architectural properties of a muscle affected the torque generated by that muscle about the joint(s) it spanned as well as the torques generated by adjacent muscles. Muscle function was most sensitive to changes in tendon slack length and least sensitive to changes in muscle moment arm. However, the sensitivity of muscle function to changes in moment arms and architectural properties was highly muscle-specific; muscle function was most sensitive in the cases of gastrocnemius and rectus femoris and insensitive in the cases of hamstrings and the medial sub-region of gluteus maximus. The sensitivity of a muscle's function was influenced by the magnitude of the muscle's force as well as the operating region of the muscle on its force-length curve. These findings have implications for the development of subject-specific models of the human musculoskeletal system.

Stabilisation of walking by intrinsic muscle properties revealed in a three-dimensional muscle-driven simulation

A fundamental question in movement science is how humans perform stable movements in the presence of disturbances such as contact with objects. It remains unclear how the nervous system, with delayed responses to disturbances, maintains the stability of complex movements. We hypothesised that intrinsic muscle properties (i.e. the force-length-velocity properties of muscle fibres and tendon elasticity) may help stabilise human walking by responding instantaneously to a disturbance and providing forces that help maintain the movement trajectory. To investigate this issue, we generated a 3D muscle-driven simulation of walking and analysed the changes in the simulation's motion when a disturbance was applied to models with and without intrinsic muscle properties. Removing the intrinsic properties reduced the stability; this was true when the disturbing force was applied at a variety of times and in different directions. Thus, intrinsic muscle properties play a unique role in stabilising walking, complementing the delayed response of the central nervous system.

Parameter estimation of the Huxley cross-bridge muscle model in humans

The Huxley model has the potential to provide more accurate muscle dynamics while affording a physiological interpretation at cross-bridge level. By perturbing the wrist at different velocities and initial force levels, reliable Huxley model parameters were estimated in humans in vivo using a Huxley muscle-tendon complex. We conclude that these estimates may be used to investigate and monitor changes in microscopic elements of muscle functioning from experiments at joint level.

DESIGN OF A THRESHOLD FES CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ARM MOVEMENT

The existing functional electrical stimulation (FES) techniques often required to solve the complex "inverse dynamic problem" to calculate the muscle torques for moving along a desired trajectory. According to the threshold control theory of voluntary motor control, a bio-mimetic threshold control strategy for the FES controller is designed and tested in the human arm movement. The arm is modeled as three segments connected by two hinges joints. The movement is driven by seven muscles and limited in the horizontal plane. All muscles are described by a modified Hill-type muscle model. Simulation results suggest that the threshold FES control system can realize point to point movement and can approximately follow the desired traces in presence of feedback delays up to 20 ms. The movement can also maintain stability under external perturbation or external load. The control system can be employed in clinical application because of the following advantages: (1) The control strategy includes some mature control techniques which had been realized in hardware. (2) Only sophisticated sensors of goniometer and the surface electrodes are needed to provide feedbacks and muscle stimulation. (3) The performance of the control system will not be critically influenced by the slight change of musculo-tendon parameters and feedback delays, and even the parameters of controller are fixed.

NAVIGATION AMONG MOVABLE OBSTACLES: REAL-TIME REASONING IN COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS

In this paper, we address the problem of Navigation Among Movable Obstacles (NAMO): a practical extension to navigation for humanoids and other dexterous mobile robots. The robot is permitted to reconfigure the environment by moving obstacles and clearing free space for a path. This paper presents a resolution complete planner for a subclass of NAMO problems. Our planner takes advantage of the navigational structure through state-space decomposition and heuristic search. The planning complexity is reduced to the difficulty of the specific navigation task, rather than the dimensionality of the multi-object domain. We demonstrate real-time results for spaces that contain large numbers of movable obstacles. We also present a practical framework for single-agent search that can be used in algorithmic reasoning about this domain.

Clonus is explained from increased reflex gain and enlarged tissue viscoelasticity

Upper motor neuron diseases (UMND), such as stroke and spinal cord injury (SCI), are assumed to produce alterations in muscle tissue in association with neural damage. Distinguishing between these two factors is of clinical importance in choosing appropriate therapy. We studied the effect of changes in the gain of the Ia reflex pathway and tissue viscoelasticity on the emergence, frequency, and persistence of ankle clonus: a clinically significant, involuntary oscillatory movement disorder. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to explain our experimental observations in patients with stroke (n = 3) and SCI (n = 4) using a nonlinear antagonistic muscle model of the human ankle joint. Ia reflex gain was varied by changing motor unit pool threshold and gain, and passive tissue viscosity and elasticity were varied by changing optimal muscle length. Tissue viscoelasticity appeared to have a strong effect on the emergence and persistence of clonus. Observed frequencies of ankle movement, prior to and after the experimental intervention of a sudden damper, was predicted by the model. The simulations revealed that reflex gains were largest in patients with the largest tissue viscoelasticity. We conclude that ankle clonus in stroke and SCI is the result of a combination of, and suggests a relation between, (i) a decrease in threshold and an increase in gain of the motor unit pool and (ii) a decrease in optimal muscle length.

Electrical stimulation of the rectus femoris during pre-swing diminishes hip and knee flexion during the swing phase of normal gait

Individuals who have suffered cerebral insults often exhibit stiff-knee gait, a condition characterized by reduced knee flexion during swing. We investigated the effect that an increment in normal rectus femoris (RF) activity can have on hip and knee joint angles during swing, as a first step to determining this muscle's involvement in stiff-knee gait. For this, we developed a protocol that electrically stimulated the RF during pre-swing or after toe-off in randomly selected strides of treadmill walking, consistent with the timing of RF activity during normal gait. Seven healthy young adults participated in the study. Pre-swing stimulation induced a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in peak knee flexion (avg 7.5°) in all subjects, with an accompanying decrease in hip flexion in four of the subjects. RF stimulation after toe-off diminished peak knee flexion in three subjects and reduced hip flexion in four subjects. When compared to muscle-actuated gait simulations that were similarly perturbed, the induced motion measures were generally consistent in direction but exhibited greater variability across strides and subjects. We conclude that excess RF activity during pre-swing has the potential to contribute to stiff-knee gait, and that clinical treatment should consider the "counter-intuitive" function that the RF has in extending the hip.

OpenSim: a musculoskeletal modeling and simulation framework for in silico investigations and exchange

Movement science is driven by observation, but observation alone cannot elucidate principles of human and animal movement. Biomechanical modeling and computer simulation complement observations and inform experimental design. Biological models are complex and specialized software is required for building, validating, and studying them. Furthermore, common access is needed so that investigators can contribute models to a broader community and leverage past work. We are developing OpenSim, a freely available musculoskeletal modeling and simulation application and libraries specialized for these purposes, by providing: musculoskeletal modeling elements, such as biomechanical joints, muscle actuators, ligament forces, compliant contact, and controllers; and tools for fitting generic models to subject-specific data, performing inverse kinematics and forward dynamic simulations. OpenSim performs an array of physics-based analyses to delve into the behavior of musculoskeletal models by employing Simbody, an efficient and accurate multibody system dynamics code. Models are publicly available and are often reused for multiple investigations because they provide a rich set of behaviors that enables different lines of inquiry. This report will discuss one model developed to study walking and applied to gain deeper insights into muscle function in pathological gait and during running. We then illustrate how simulations can test fundamental hypotheses and focus the aims of in vivo experiments, with a postural stability platform and human model that provide a research environment for performing human posture experiments in silico. We encourage wide adoption of OpenSim for community exchange of biomechanical models and methods and welcome new contributors.

The relation between neuromechanical parameters and Ashworth score in stroke patients

Background

Quantifying increased joint resistance into its contributing factors i.e. stiffness and viscosity ("hypertonia") and stretch reflexes ("hyperreflexia") is important in stroke rehabilitation. Existing clinical tests, such as the Ashworth Score, do not permit discrimination between underlying tissue and reflexive (neural) properties. We propose an instrumented identification paradigm for early and tailor made interventions.

Methods

Ramp-and-Hold ankle dorsiflexion rotations of various durations were imposed using a manipulator. A one second rotation over the Range of Motion similar to the Ashworth condition was included. Tissue stiffness and viscosity and reflexive torque were estimated using a nonlinear model and compared to the Ashworth Score of nineteen stroke patients and seven controls.

Results

Ankle viscosity moderately increased, stiffness was indifferent and reflexive torque decreased with movement duration. Compared to controls, patients with an Ashworth Score of 1 and 2+ were significantly stiffer and had higher viscosity and patients with an Ashworth Score of 2+ showed higher reflexive torque. For the one second movement, stiffness correlated to Ashworth Score (r² = 0.51, F = 32.7, p < 0.001) with minor uncorrelated reflexive torque. Reflexive torque correlated to Ashworth Score at shorter movement durations (r² = 0.25, F = 11, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

Stroke patients were distinguished from controls by tissue stiffness and viscosity and to a lesser extent by reflexive torque from the soleus muscle. These parameters were also sensitive to discriminate patients, clinically graded by the Ashworth Score. Movement duration affected viscosity and reflexive torque which are clinically relevant parameters. Full evaluation of pathological joint resistance therefore requires instrumented tests at various movement conditions.

Sensitivity of estimated muscle force in forward simulation of normal walking

Generic muscle parameters are often used in muscle-driven simulations of human movement to estimate individual muscle forces and function. The results may not be valid since muscle properties vary from subject to subject. This study investigated the effect of using generic muscle parameters in a muscle-driven forward simulation on muscle force estimation. We generated a normal walking simulation in OpenSim and examined the sensitivity of individual muscle forces to perturbations in muscle parameters, including the number of muscles, maximum isometric force, optimal fiber length, and tendon slack length. We found that when changing the number of muscles included in the model, only magnitude of the estimated muscle forces was affected. Our results also suggest it is especially important to use accurate values of tendon slack length and optimal fiber length for ankle plantar flexors and knee extensors. Changes in force production by one muscle were typically compensated for by changes in force production by muscles in the same functional muscle group, or the antagonistic muscle group. Conclusions regarding muscle function based on simulations with generic musculoskeletal parameters should be interpreted with caution.

Age differences in energy absorption in the upper extremity during a descent movement: implications for arresting a fall

BACKGROUND

Falls are the number one cause of unintentional injury in older adults. The protective response of "breaking the fall" with the outstretched hand is often essential for avoiding injury to the hip and head. In this study, we compared the ability of young and older women to absorb the impact energy of a fall in the outstretched arms.

METHODS

Twenty young (mean age = 21 years) and 20 older (M = 78 years) women were instructed to slowly lower their body weight, similar to the descent phase of a push-up, from body lean angles ranging from 15 degrees to 90 degrees . Measures were acquired of peak upper extremity energy absorption, arm deflection, and hand contact force.

RESULTS

On average, older women were able to absorb 45% less energy in the dominant arm than young women (1.7 +/- 0.5% vs 3.1 +/- 0.4% of their body weight x body height; p < .001). These results suggest that, even when both arms participate equally, the average energy content of a forward fall exceeds by 5-fold the average energy that our older participants could absorb and exceeds by 2.7-fold the average energy that young participants could absorb.

CONCLUSIONS

During a descent movement that simulates fall arrest, the energy-absorbing capacity of the upper extremities in older women is nearly half that of young women. Absorbing the full energy of a fall in the upper extremities is a challenging task even for healthy young women. Strengthening of upper extremity muscles should enhance this ability and presumably reduce the risk for injury to the hip and head during a fall.

Modeling age-related neuromuscular changes in humans

With aging, motoneurons and muscle tissue undergo significant changes, which influence function in terms of strength, mobility, and overall independence. Mathematical modeling provides a practical method of studying the relationships among recruitment, rate-coding, and force output in motor units, and may be used to predict functional neuromuscular changes related to aging. For this study, the Heckman-Binder model was used to examine changes in human quadriceps motor units. Relationships among current input, firing frequency, and force output were defined for both a younger and an older individual. Included in the model were age-related effects associated with reduced muscle contractile speed; reduced muscle-fibre number, size, and specific tension; reduced gain of the frequency-current relationship; decreased size of motoneurons; and altered motor unit remodeling. Adjustment of this model to reflect age-related changes resulted in a leftward shift of the force-frequency function, lower firing frequency for any given current injected into the motoneuron, and a reduction in maximal force output. The model suggests that older individuals are capable of reaching force levels up to approximately 50% of those attained by younger individuals, with relatively similar or even slightly lower levels of current input. This could mean that the sense of effort and the contribution of factors other than degree of effort from afferent inputs to the pool, including conscious supraspinal centres, might be different in the older adult.

Nonlinearities make a difference: comparison of two common Hill-type models with real muscle

Compared to complex structural Huxley-type models, Hill-type models phenomenologically describe muscle contraction using only few state variables. The Hill-type models dominate in the ever expanding field of musculoskeletal simulations for simplicity and low computational cost. Reasonable parameters are required to gain insight into mechanics of movement. The two most common Hill-type muscle models used contain three components. The series elastic component is connected in series to the contractile component. A parallel elastic component is either connected in parallel to both the contractile and the series elastic component (model [CC+SEC]), or is connected in parallel only with the contractile component (model [CC]). As soon as at least one of the components exhibits substantial nonlinearities, as, e.g., the contractile component by the ability to turn on and off, the two models are mechanically different. We tested which model ([CC+SEC] or [CC]) represents the cat soleus better. Ramp experiments consisting of an isometric and an isokinetic part were performed with an in situ cat soleus preparation using supramaximal nerve stimulation. Hill-type models containing force-length and force-velocity relationship, excitation-contraction coupling and series and parallel elastic force-elongation relations were fitted to the data. To test which model might represent the muscle better, the obtained parameters were compared with experimentally determined parameters. Determined in situations with negligible passive force, the force-velocity relation and the series elastic component relation are independent of the chosen model. In contrast to model [CC+SEC], these relations predicted by model [CC] were in accordance with experimental relations. In conclusion model [CC] seemed to better represent the cat soleus contraction dynamics and should be preferred in the nonlinear regression of muscle parameters and in musculoskeletal modeling.

Fiber type composition and maximum shortening velocity of muscles crossing the human shoulder

A study of the fiber type composition of fourteen muscles spanning the human glenohumeral joint was carried out with the purpose of determining the contribution of fiber types to overall muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and to estimate the maximum shortening velocity (V(max)) of those muscles. Muscle biopsies were procured from 4 male cadavers (mean age 50) within 24 hr of death, snap frozen, mounted, and transversely sectioned (10 microm). Slides were stained for myofibrillar ATPase after alkaline preincubation. Photoimages were taken of defined areas (100 fibers) using the Bioquant system, and fiber type and CSA were measured from these images. Staining for mATPase produced three different fiber types: slow-oxidative (SO), fast-oxidative-glycolytic (FOG), and fast-glycolytic (FG). On average, the muscle fiber type composition ranged from 22 to 40% of FG, from 17 to 51% of FOG, and from 23 to 56% of SO. Twelve out of the 14 muscles had average SO proportions ranging from 35 to 50%. V(max) was calculated from the fiber type contribution relative to CSA and shortening velocity values taken from the literature. The maximum velocities of shortening presented here provide a physiological basis for the development of human shoulder musculoskeletal models suitable for predicting muscle forces for functionally relevant tasks encompassing conditions of muscle shortening and lengthening.

Sensitivity of muscle force estimates to variations in muscle–tendon properties

The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity of muscle force estimates to changes in some of the parameters which are commonly used to describe models of muscle-tendon actuation. The sensitivity analysis was performed on three parameters: optimal muscle-fiber length, muscle physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA), and tendon rest length. The muscles selected for the analysis were posterior gluteus medius/minimus, vasti, soleus, and sartorius. Each parameter was perturbed from its nominal value, and an optimization problem was solved to determine the relative influence of each parameter on the calculated values of muscle force. Muscle forces were calculated for a simulated cycle of normal walking. Parameter sensitivity was quantified using two new metrics: an integrated sensitivity ratio, which quantified the effect of changing a single parameter for any muscle on the time history of force developed by that muscle; and a summed cross-sensitivity ratio, which quantified the effect of changing one parameter for any muscle on the time histories of forces developed by all of the other muscles. The results showed that muscle force estimates for walking are most sensitive to changes in tendon rest length and least sensitive to changes in muscle PCSA. For soleus, for example, the integrated sensitivity ratios for tendon rest length were an order of magnitude greater than those for muscle-fiber length and PCSA. For vasti, the integrated sensitivity ratios for tendon rest length were twice as large as those for muscle-fiber length and nearly an order of magnitude greater than those for PCSA. Overall, changes in the tendon rest lengths of vasti and soleus and changes in the fiber length of vasti were most critical to model estimates of muscle force. Our results emphasize the importance of obtaining accurate estimates of tendon rest length and muscle-fiber length, particularly for those actuators that function as prime movers during locomotion (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius/minimus, vasti, soleus, and gastrocnemius).

An improved method to determine neuromuscular properties using force laws - From single muscle to applications in human movements

We evaluate an improved method for individually determining neuromuscular properties in vivo. The method is based on Hill's equation used as a force law combined with Newton's equation of motion. To ensure the range of validity of Hill's equation, we first perform detailed investigations on in vitro single muscles. The force-velocity relation determined with the model coincides well with results obtained by standard methods (r=.99) above 20% of the isometric force. In addition, the model-predicted force curves during work loop contractions very well agree with measurements (mean difference: 2-3%). Subsequently, we deduce theoretically under which conditions it is possible to combine several muscles of the human body to model muscles. This leads to a model equation for human leg extension movements containing parameters for the muscle properties and for the activation. To numerically determine these invariant neuromuscular properties we devise an experimental method based on concentric and isometric leg extensions. With this method we determine individual muscle parameters from experiments such that the simulated curves agree well with experiments (r=.99). A reliability test with 12 participants revealed correlations r=.72-.91 for the neuromuscular parameters (p<.01). Predictions of similar movements under different conditions show mean errors of about 5%. In addition, we present applications in sports practise and theory.

Muscle-driven forward dynamic simulations for the study of normal and pathological gait

There has been much recent interest in the use of muscle-actuated forward dynamic simulations to describe human locomotion. These models simulate movement through the integration of dynamic equations of motion and usually are driven by excitation inputs to muscles. Because motion is effected by individual muscle actuators, these simulations offer potential insights into the roles played by muscles in producing walking motions. Better knowledge of the actions of muscles should lead to clarification of the etiology of movement disorders and more effective treatments. This article reviews the use of such simulations to characterize musculoskeletal function and describe the actions of muscles during normal and pathological locomotion. The review concludes by identifying ways in which models must be improved if their potential for clinical utility is to be realized.