scholarly journals Use of Lumbar Point for the Estimation of Potential and Kinetic Mechanical Power in Running

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 324-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Slawinski ◽  
Véronique Billat ◽  
Jean-Pierre Koralsztein ◽  
Michel Tavernier

The purpose of this study was to estimate the difference between potential and kinetic mechanical powers in running (Pke, Ppe) calculated from the center of mass and one anatomic point of the body located on the lower part of the runner's back, the “lumbar point.” Six runners undertook a treadmill run at constant velocity and were filmed individually with a video camera (25 Hz). The 3-D motion analysis system, ANIMAN3D, uses a numerical manikin (MAN3D) which compares a voluminal subject (the athlete) directly to the manikin which possesses the same voluminal properties. This analysis system allows the trajectories of the center of mass and the lumbar point to be calculated. Then, from these trajectories, potential and kinetic mechanical powers in running are calculated. The results show that the utilization of the lumbar point rather than the runner's center of mass leads to a significant overestimation of Pkeand a significant underestimation of Ppe(bothp< 0.05). In spite of these differences, however, both methods of calculating Pkeand Ppeare well correlated: respectively,r= 0.92;p≤ 0.01, andr= 0.68;p≤ 0.05. Taking into account that the trajectory of an anatomic point is experimentally easier to access than that of the center of mass, such a point could be used to estimate the evolution of kinetic or potential energy variation in different cases. However, when the lumbar point rather than the center of mass is used to estimate the mechanical energy produced in running, Pkecould appear to be a discriminating parameter, which it is not.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J R Usherwood

Synopsis Animal legs are diverse, complex, and perform many roles. One defining requirement of legs is to facilitate terrestrial travel with some degree of economy. This could, theoretically, be achieved without loss of mechanical energy if the body could take a continuous horizontal path supported by vertical forces only—effectively a wheel-like translation, and a condition closely approximated by walking tortoises. If this is a potential strategy for zero mechanical work cost among quadrupeds, how might the structure, posture, and diversity of both sprawled and parasagittal legs be interpreted? In order to approach this question, various linkages described during the industrial revolution are considered. Watt’s linkage provides an analogue for sprawled vertebrates that uses diagonal limb support and shows how vertical-axis joints could enable approximately straight-line horizontal translation while demanding minimal mechanical power. An additional vertical-axis joint per leg results in the wall-mounted pull-out monitor arm and would enable translation with zero mechanical work due to weight support, without tipping or toppling. This is consistent with force profiles observed in tortoises. The Peaucellier linkage demonstrates that parasagittal limbs with lateral-axis joints could also achieve the zero-work strategy. Suitably tuned four-bar linkages indicate this is feasibly approximated for flexed, biologically realistic limbs. Where “walking” gaits typically show out of phase fluctuation in center of mass kinetic and gravitational potential energy, and running, hopping or trotting gaits are characterized by in-phase energy fluctuations, the zero limb-work strategy approximated by tortoises would show zero fluctuations in kinetic or potential energy. This highlights that some gaits, perhaps particularly those of animals with sprawled or crouched limbs, do not fit current kinetic gait definitions; an additional gait paradigm, the “zero limb-work strategy” is proposed.


Author(s):  
Hiroto Murata ◽  
Genki Hisano ◽  
Daisuke Ichimura ◽  
Hiroshi Takemura ◽  
Hiroaki Hobara

Carbon-fiber running-specific prostheses have enabled individuals with lower extremity amputation to run by providing a spring-like leg function in their affected limb. When individuals without amputation run at a constant speed on level ground, the net external mechanical work is zero at each step to maintain a symmetrical bouncing gait. Although the spring-like “bouncing step” using running-specific prostheses is considered a prerequisite for running, little is known about the underlying mechanisms for unilateral transfemoral amputees. The aim of this study was to investigate external mechanical work at different running speeds for unilateral transfemoral amputees wearing running-specific prostheses. Eight unilateral transfemoral amputees ran on a force-instrumented treadmill at a range of speeds (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80% of the average speed of their 100-m personal records). We calculated the mechanical energy of the body center of mass (COM) by conducting a time-integration of the ground reaction forces in the sagittal plane. Then, the net external mechanical work was calculated as the difference between the mechanical energy at the initial and end of the stance phase. We found that the net external work in the affected limb tended to be greater than that in the unaffected limb across the six running speeds. Moreover, the net external work of the affected limb was found to be positive, while that of the unaffected limb was negative across the range of speeds. These results suggest that the COM of unilateral transfemoral amputees would be accelerated in the affected limb’s step and decelerated in the unaffected limb’s step at each bouncing step across different constant speeds. Therefore, unilateral transfemoral amputees with passive prostheses maintain their bouncing steps using a limb-specific strategy during running.


1999 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 383-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Griffin ◽  
Neil A. Tolani ◽  
Rodger Kram

Walking humans conserve mechanical and, presumably, metabolic energy with an inverted pendulum-like exchange of gravitational potential energy and horizontal kinetic energy. Walking in simulated reduced gravity involves a relatively high metabolic cost, suggesting that the inverted-pendulum mechanism is disrupted because of a mismatch of potential and kinetic energy. We tested this hypothesis by measuring the fluctuations and exchange of mechanical energy of the center of mass at different combinations of velocity and simulated reduced gravity. Subjects walked with smaller fluctuations in horizontal velocity in lower gravity, such that the ratio of horizontal kinetic to gravitational potential energy fluctuations remained constant over a fourfold change in gravity. The amount of exchange, or percent recovery, at 1.00 m/s was not significantly different at 1.00, 0.75, and 0.50 G (average 64.4%), although it decreased to 48% at 0.25 G. As a result, the amount of work performed on the center of mass does not explain the relatively high metabolic cost of walking in simulated reduced gravity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Zago ◽  
Andrea Francesco Motta ◽  
Andrea Mapelli ◽  
Isabella Annoni ◽  
Christel Galvani ◽  
...  

Abstract Soccer kicking kinematics has received wide interest in literature. However, while the instep-kick has been broadly studied, only few researchers investigated the inside-of-the-foot kick, which is one of the most frequently performed techniques during games. In particular, little knowledge is available about differences in kinematics when kicking with the preferred and non-preferred leg. A motion analysis system recorded the three-dimensional coordinates of reflective markers placed upon the body of nine amateur soccer players (23.0 ± 2.1 years, BMI 22.2 ± 2.6 kg/m2), who performed 30 pass-kicks each, 15 with the preferred and 15 with the non-preferred leg. We investigated skill kinematics while maintaining a perspective on the complete picture of movement, looking for laterality related differences. The main focus was laid on: anatomical angles, contribution of upper limbs in kick biomechanics, kinematics of the body Center of Mass (CoM), which describes the whole body movement and is related to balance and stability. When kicking with the preferred leg, CoM displacement during the ground-support phase was 13% higher (p<0.001), normalized CoM height was 1.3% lower (p<0.001) and CoM velocity 10% higher (p<0.01); foot and shank velocities were about 5% higher (p<0.01); arms were more abducted (p<0.01); shoulders were rotated more towards the target (p<0.01, 6° mean orientation difference). We concluded that differences in motor control between preferred and non-preferred leg kicks exist, particularly in the movement velocity and upper body kinematics. Coaches can use these results to provide effective instructions to players in the learning process, moving their focus on kicking speed and upper body behavior


Author(s):  
Porakoch Sirisuwan ◽  
Tetsushi Koshino ◽  
Chieko Narita ◽  
Takashi Yoshikawa

The expert worker (85 years old) has worked for 70 years and the non expert (16 years old) has worked 1 year of experience for the lathe processing. The subjects were compared the difference in the waist, the shoulder and the fore arm movement between the two worker while they were chucking on the lathe machine. Determination used the same parts and the same type of lathe machine for investigated. There were 4 main categories that related three stances position alignment and two hands position on the key chuck. Using the 6 infrared cameras and 2 video cameras captured the position of each marker. All markers position data which synchronization was taken by a motion analysis system (sampling rate: 100Hz). As a results show the balance movement both the waist and the shoulder during the chucking that had significantly greater in the expert worker than the non expert worker.


2006 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 631-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Kaneko ◽  
Kazuki Miyatsuji ◽  
Satoru Tanabe

To estimate energy cost of a gymnastic-like exercise performed by an astronaut during spaceflight (cosmic exercise), energy expenditure was determined by measuring mechanical work done around the center of mass (COM) of the body. The cosmic exercise, which consisted of whole-body flexion and extension, was performed during a spaceflight and recorded with a video camera. By analyzing the videotape, the internal mechanical work (Wint) against inertia load of the body segments was calculated. To compare how human muscles work on Earth, a motion similar to the cosmic exercise was performed by a control subject who had a physique similar to that of the astronaut. The total mechanical power of the astronaut was determined to be about 119 W; although the control subject showed a similar total power value, half of the power was external work (Wext) against gravitational load. By assuming a mechanical efficiency of 0.25, the energy expenditure was estimated to be 476 W or 7.7 W/kg, which is equivalent to that expended during fast walking and half of that used during moderate-speed running. Our results suggest that this form of cosmic exercise is appropriate for astronauts in space and can be performed safely, as there are no COM shifts while floating in a spacecraft and no vibratory disturbance.


Geophysics ◽  
1953 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 913-928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svend Saxov ◽  
Kurt Nygaard

The residual gravity anomaly at a point is defined as the difference between the average anomalies along two concentric circles whose center is at the point, divided by the difference between the two radii or [Formula: see text] It is shown that the residual anomalies previously determined by the average circle or the average polygon method (Griffin, 1949) are included in the present definition. The second vertical derivative of g and, to some extent, the fourth vertical derivative of g (Peters, 1949) are also included. The relation between the residual anomalies and the depth of the subterranean masses is examined. It has been pointed out that the gravitational effect originating from a body with mass m is clearly apparent when the center of mass of the body has the depth [Formula: see text]. The influence from masses at a greater or lesser depth is almost eliminated. By avoiding the use of the center point in the figuring of the residual anomalies the influence of random errors is minimized.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2.8) ◽  
pp. 156
Author(s):  
Se Jin Park ◽  
Murali Subramaniyam ◽  
Seung Nam Min ◽  
Seoung Eun Kim ◽  
Sikyung Kim

Neck pain or cervical pain is most common in individuals who are all working in seated postures for prolonged period of time, example computer users. The pain caused by extreme postural positions including forward head postures and extension angle maintained in cervical. The use of cervical vertebra traction therapy has increased as a part of rehabilitation medicine. However, lack of usability standard in this traction therapy i.e., the exact instructions on how to choose the traction force and location are unclear. To fix this issue, first, the cervical spine traction system analysing the change of cervical spine depending on the traction location has been investigated. Motion analysis systems are widely used to measure the changes in the body part movement. However, the precision and repeatability of motion analysis systems are not much studied. In this paper, the precision and repeatability of a three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis system (i.e., NDI’s Optotrak Certus (OC)) is evaluated with developed 3D robot for traction therapy as an application example. The 3D robot quantitated the accuracy and precision of the system regarding angle and distance. Angle and distance among markers showed good agreement between measurements, and comparable measures of precision reported. Experimental results demonstrate a measure of precision and repeatability for the movement of the patients on the cervical traction system; hence the repeatability was satisfactory.


1997 ◽  
Vol 200 (16) ◽  
pp. 2177-2188 ◽  
Author(s):  
C T Farley ◽  
T C Ko

Lizards bend their trunks laterally with each step of locomotion and, as a result, their locomotion appears to be fundamentally different from mammalian locomotion. The goal of the present study was to determine whether lizards use the same two basic gaits as other legged animals or whether they use a mechanically unique gait due to lateral trunk bending. Force platform and kinematic measurements revealed that two species of lizards, Coleonyx variegatus and Eumeces skiltonianus, used two basic gaits similar to mammalian walking and trotting gaits. In both gaits, the kinetic energy fluctuations due to lateral movements of the center of mass were less than 5% of the total external mechanical energy fluctuations. In the walking gait, both species vaulted over their stance limbs like inverted pendulums. The fluctuations in kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy of the center of mass were approximately 180 degrees out of phase. The lizards conserved as much as 51% of the external mechanical energy required for locomotion by the inverted pendulum mechanism. Both species also used a bouncing gait, similar to mammalian trotting, in which the fluctuations in kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy of the center of mass were nearly exactly in phase. The mass-specific external mechanical work required to travel 1 m (1.5 J kg-1) was similar to that for other legged animals. Thus, in spite of marked lateral bending of the trunk, the mechanics of lizard locomotion is similar to the mechanics of locomotion in other legged animals.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document