scholarly journals Muscles Affecting Minimum Toe Clearance

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chamalka Kenneth Perera ◽  
Alpha Agape Gopalai ◽  
Siti Anom Ahmad ◽  
Darwin Gouwanda
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Tibialis Anterior ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Joint Angles ◽  
Kinematic Parameters ◽  
Joint Range Of Motion ◽  
Optical Motion ◽  
Optical Motion Capture ◽  
Joint Range ◽  
Gastrocnemius Lateralis

The aim of this study was to investigate how the anterior and posterior muscles in the shank (Tibialis Anterior, Gastrocnemius Lateralis and Medialis), influence the level of minimum toe clearance (MTC). With aging, MTC deteriorates thus, greatly increasing the probability of falling or tripping. This could result in injury or even death. For this study, muscle activity retention taping (MART) was used on young adults, which is an accepted method of simulating a poor MTC—found in elderly gait. The subject's muscle activation was measured using surface electromyography (SEMG), and the kinematic parameters (MTC, knee and ankle joint angles) were measured using an optical motion capture system. Our results indicate that MART produces significant reductions in MTC (P < α), knee flexion (P < α) and ankle dorsiflexion (P < α), as expected. However, the muscle activity increased significantly, contrary to the expected result (elderly individuals should have lower muscle activity). This was due to the subject's muscle conditions (healthy and strong), hence the muscles worked harder to counteract the external restriction. Yet, the significant change in muscle activity (due to MART) proves that the shank muscles do play an important role in determining the level of MTC. The Tibialis Anterior had the highest overall muscle activation, making it the primary muscle active during the swing phase. With aging, the shank muscles (specifically the Tibialis Anterior) would weaken and stiffen, coupled with a reduced joint range of motion. Thus, ankle-drop would increase—leading to a reduction in MTC.

Why is joint range of motion limited in patients with cerebral palsy?

2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. de Bruin ◽  
M. J. C. Smeulders ◽  
M. Kreulen
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Range Of Motion ◽  
Muscle Tone ◽  
Surrounding Tissue ◽  
Spastic Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Joint Angles ◽  
Joint Range Of Motion ◽  
Joint Range ◽  
Selection Of Patients ◽  
Selection Of

Patients with spastic cerebral palsy of the upper limb typically present with various problems including an impaired range of motion that affects the positioning of the upper extremity. This impaired range of motion often develops into contractures that further limit functioning of the spastic hand and arm. Understanding why these contractures develop in cerebral palsy will affect the selection of patients suitable for surgical treatment as well as the choice for specific surgical procedures. The generally accepted hypothesis in patients with spastic cerebral palsy is that the hyper-excitability of the stretch reflex combined with increased muscle tone result in extreme angles of the involved joints at rest. Ultimately, these extreme joint angles are thought to result in fixed joint postures. There is no consensus in the literature concerning the pathophysiology of this process. Several hypotheses associated with inactivity and overactivity have been tested by examining the secondary changes in spastic muscle and its surrounding tissue. All hypotheses implicate different secondary changes that consequently require different clinical approaches. In this review, the different hypotheses concerning the development of limited joint range of motion in cerebral palsy are discussed in relation to their secondary changes on the musculoskeletal system.

Forelimb brachial muscle activation patterns using surface electromyography and their relationship to kinematics in normal dogs walking and trotting

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.C. Garcia ◽  
B.K. Sturges ◽  
S.M. Stover ◽  
K. Aoki ◽  
J.M. Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Surface Electromyography ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Biceps Brachii ◽  
Elbow Flexor ◽  
Median Frequency ◽  
Joint Angles ◽  
Muscle Activation Patterns ◽  
The Right ◽  
Elbow Extensor

The objective of this study was to determine activity of the elbow flexor and elbow extensor groups of muscles relative to shoulder and elbow joint kinematics in normal walking and trotting dogs using surface electromyography (EMG), and to determine if muscle activity varies with gait or limb. Ten healthy mixed-breed dogs were walked and trotted across embedded force plates in a 6 m walkway while simultaneously recording muscle activation using surface EMG positioned over the biceps brachii (elbow flexor group) and triceps brachii (elbow extensor group); peak shoulder, elbow, and carpal joint angles from motion capture, and ground reaction forces. EMG magnitude, timing, and power spectral density (PSD) were used to analyse muscle activity. The effects of gait type and limb side on EMG measures and joint angles were assessed using an analysis of variance. Results showed that the elbow flexor group was maximally active at end of stance. The elbow extensor group was maximally active at the beginning of stance. Muscle activity occurred earlier in the gait phase (stance or swing) in the trot compared to the walk. The amplitude, frequency at maximum PSD (elbow flexor group only) and the median frequency were larger on the right side than on the left side. The maximum PSD and integrated PSD were larger on the left side than the right side. These data provide a reference for identifying abnormalities associated with orthopaedic, neurological, or rehabilitative changes. Limb asymmetry observed in muscle activation in clinically normal dogs should be further evaluated.

scholarly journals An Evaluation of Motion Trackers with Virtual Reality Sensor Technology in Comparison to a Marker-Based Motion Capture System Based on Joint Angles for Ergonomic Risk Assessment

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 3145
Author(s):  
Jan P. Vox ◽  
Anika Weber ◽  
Karen Insa Wolf ◽  
Krzysztof Izdebski ◽  
Thomas Schüler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Motion Capture ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Motion Capture System ◽  
Tracking Systems ◽  
Joint Angles ◽  
Work Processes ◽  
Optical Motion ◽  
Optical Motion Capture ◽  
Ergonomic Risk

The reproduction and simulation of workplaces, and the analysis of body postures during work processes, are parts of ergonomic risk assessments. A commercial virtual reality (VR) system offers the possibility to model complex work scenarios as virtual mock-ups and to evaluate their ergonomic designs by analyzing motion behavior while performing work processes. In this study a VR tracking sensor system (HTC Vive tracker) combined with an inverse kinematic model (Final IK) was compared with a marker-based optical motion capture system (Qualisys). Marker-based optical motion capture systems are considered the gold standard for motion analysis. Therefore, Qualisys was used as the ground truth in this study. The research question to be answered was how accurately the HTC Vive System combined with Final IK can measure joint angles used for ergonomic evaluation. Twenty-six subjects were observed simultaneously with both tracking systems while performing 20 defined movements. Sixteen joint angles were analyzed. Joint angle deviations between ±6∘ and ±42∘ were identified. These high deviations must be considered in ergonomic risk assessments when using a VR system. The results show that commercial low-budget tracking systems have the potential to map joint angles. Nevertheless, substantial weaknesses and inaccuracies in some body regions must be taken into account. Recommendations are provided to improve tracking accuracy and avoid systematic errors.

scholarly journals OpenSense: An open-source toolbox for Inertial-Measurement-Unit-based measurement of lower extremity kinematics over long durations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mazen Al Borno ◽  
Johanna O'Day ◽  
Vanessa Ibarra ◽  
James Dunne ◽  
Ajay Seth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Motion Capture ◽  
Joint Kinematics ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Joint Angles ◽  
Inertial Measurement ◽  
Optical Motion ◽  
Optical Motion Capture ◽  
Over Time

Background: The ability to measure joint kinematics in natural environments over long durations using inertial measurement units (IMUs) could enable at-home monitoring and personalized treatment of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders. However, drift, or the accumulation of error over time, inhibits the accurate measurement of movement over long durations. We sought to develop an open-source workflow to estimate lower extremity joint kinematics from IMU data that was accurate, and capable of assessing and mitigating drift. Methods: We computed IMU-based estimates of kinematics using sensor fusion and an inverse kinematics approach with a constrained biomechanical model. We measured kinematics for 11 subjects as they performed two 10-minute trials: walking and a repeated sequence of varied lower-extremity movements. To validate the approach, we compared the joint angles computed with IMU orientations to the joint angles computed from optical motion capture using root mean square (RMS) difference and Pearson correlations, and estimated drift using a linear regression on each subject's RMS differences over time. Results: IMU-based kinematic estimates agreed with optical motion capture; median RMS differences over all subjects and all minutes were between 3-6 degrees for all joint angles except hip rotation and correlation coefficients were moderate to strong (r = 0.60 to 0.87). We observed minimal drift in the RMS differences over ten minutes; the average slopes of the linear fits to these data were near zero (-0.14 to 0.17 deg/min). Conclusions: Our workflow produced joint kinematics consistent with those estimated by optical motion capture, and could mitigate kinematic drift even in the trials of continuous walking without rest, obviating the need for explicit sensor recalibration (e.g. sitting or standing still for a few seconds or zero-velocity updates) used in current drift-mitigation approaches. This could enable long-duration measurements, bringing the field one step closer to estimating kinematics in natural environments.

Neuromuscular Activation During Short-Track Speed Skating in Young Athletes

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 848-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Felser ◽  
Martin Behrens ◽  
Susanne Fischer ◽  
Mario Baeumler ◽  
Ralf Salomon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Tibialis Anterior ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Time Trial ◽  
Rectus Femoris ◽  
Young Athletes ◽  
Neuromuscular Activation ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Maximum Effort ◽  
The Right

Purpose:To investigate differences in muscle activation of both legs between the straight and the curve and changes in muscle activity during a 1000-m time trial (TT) and their relationship to the change in skating velocity in 9 young short-track speed skaters. The authors recorded skating times and EMG data from different leg muscles during maximum-effort skating trials on the straight and in the curve, as well as during a 1000-m TT.Results:Muscle activation differs between the straight and the curves and between legs; ie, average activities of selected muscles of the right leg were significantly higher during skating through the curves than in the straights. This could not be observed for the left leg. The reduction in speed during the 1000-m TT highly correlates with the decrease in the muscle activity of both the tibialis anterior and the rectus femoris of the right leg. Muscle recruitment is different in relation to lap section (straight vs curve) and leg (right vs left leg). The decreased muscle activity of the tibialis anterior and rectus femoris of the right leg showed the highest relationships with the reduction in skating speed during the 1000-m TT.

scholarly journals sEMG Activation of the Flexor Muscles in the Foot during Balance Tasks by Young and Older Women: A Pilot Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (22) ◽  
pp. 4307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Błaszczyszyn ◽  
Agnieszka Szczęsna ◽  
Katarzyna Piechota
Keyword(s):  
Older Women ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Tibialis Anterior ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Gastrocnemius Medialis ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Co Activation ◽  
Antagonistic Muscle ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Gastrocnemius Lateralis

Objective: In this publication, we suggest that young adults and seniors use various defense mechanisms to counteract loss of balance. One of the hypotheses is the change in the coordination of antagonistic muscle groups, especially within the ankles. In this study, we tried to determine if there is a relationship between the condition from resilient, to pre-frail, to frail and the ability to maintain balance during free standing and balance tasks. The aim of the study was to define the importance of muscle activity in the ankle joint, dorsal flexor of the foot for the following: tibialis anterior (TA), plantar flexor of the foot gastrocnemius medialis (GM), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL), and peroneus longus (PER), during balance tasks with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC). We hypothesized that there are differences in the activity and co-activation of the tested muscles in young and older women, which may indicate an increased risk of falls and walking disorders. Materials and methods: A group of 20 women qualified for the study. The group was divided into two subgroups, young (G1) and elderly women (G2). The aim of the study was to define the importance of muscle activity in the ankle joint, dorsal flexor of the foot for the following: tibialis anterior (TA), plantar flexor of the foot gastrocnemius medialis (GM), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL), and peroneus longus (PER), during balance tasks with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC). Results: In this study, we observed significant differences between groups in the maximum and mean values of electromyography activity (EMG) activation of the examined muscles on different types of surfaces and with open and closed eyes. Older women generated higher values of EMG activation in all muscles except the gastrocnemius medialis muscle. The results were significant for co-activation at rest for muscles as follows: tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis with eyes closed (p = 0.01) and peroneus and gastrocnemius lateralis at rest with eyes open (p = 0.03), eyes closed (p = 0.04), and on a foam (p = 0.02). The sEMG amplitude of the tested muscles means that agonist muscle activity changed relative to antagonistic muscle activity. Conclusions: Activation of sEMG and coordination of ankle muscles during balance tasks change with age. It can be hypothesized that assessment of balance during free standing and equivalent tasks can predict the state of frailty, after taking into account other physiological variables that are believed to affect balance control.

Trunk and Upper Limb Muscle Activation During Flat and Topspin Forehand Drives in Young Tennis Players

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Rogowski ◽  
David Rouffet ◽  
Frédéric Lambalot ◽  
Olivier Brosseau ◽  
Christophe Hautier
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Vertical Velocity ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Shoulder Abduction ◽  
Joint Angles ◽  
Tennis Players ◽  
Shoulder Muscle ◽  
Forearm Muscle

This study compared EMG activity of young tennis players’ muscles during forehand drives in two groups, GD—those able to raise by more than 150% the vertical velocity of racket-face at impact from flat to topspin forehand drives, and GND, those not able to increase their vertical velocity to the same extent. Upper limb joint angles, racket-face velocities, and average EMGrms values, were studied. At similar joint angles, a fall in horizontal velocity and a rise in racket-face vertical velocity from flat to topspin forehand drives were observed. Shoulder muscle activity rose from flat to topspin forehand drives in GND, but not for drives in GD. Forearm muscle activity reduced from flat to topspin forehand drives in GD, but muscle activation was similar in GND. The results show that radial deviation increased racket-face vertical velocity more at impact from the flat to topspin forehand drives than shoulder abduction.

Evaluation of musculotendinous stiffness in prepubertal children and adults, taking into account muscle activity

2003 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Lambertz ◽  
Isabelle Mora ◽  
Jean-Francois Grosset ◽  
Chantal Pérot
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Tibialis Anterior ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Muscle Group ◽  
Triceps Surae ◽  
Stiffness Index ◽  
Prepubertal Children ◽  
Surface Electromyograms ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Musculotendinous Stiffness

Musculotendinous (MT) stiffness of the triceps surae (TS) muscle group was quantified in 28 prepubertal children (7–10 yr) by using quick-release movements at different levels of submaximal contractions. Surface electromyograms (EMG) of each part of the TS and of the tibialis anterior were also recorded. A stiffness index, defined as the slope of the angular stiffness-torque relationship (SIMT-Torque), was used to quantify changes in MT stiffness with age. Results showed a significant decrease in SIMT-Torque with age, ranging from 4.02 ± 0.29 to 2.88 ± 0.31 rad-1 for the youngest to the oldest children. Because an increase in stiffness with age was expected due to the maturation of elastic tissues, overactivation of the TS was suspected to contribute to the higher SIMT-Torque values found in the youngest children. TS EMG-torque analyses confirmed that neuromuscular efficiency was significantly lower for the 7- or 8-yr-old children compared with 10-yr-old children, notably due to a higher degree of tibialis anterior coactivation found in the youngest children. Thus the stiffness index originally defined as the slope of the angular stiffness-EMG relationship increased significantly with age toward adult values. The results underlined the necessity to take into account the capacities of muscle activation to quantify changes in elastic properties of muscles, when those capacities are suspected to be altered.

scholarly journals Small amounts of involuntary muscle activity reduce passive joint range of motion

2019 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 229-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Diong ◽  
Simon C. Gandevia ◽  
David Nguyen ◽  
Yanni Foo ◽  
Cecilia Kastre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Range Of Motion ◽  
Soleus Muscle ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Random Order ◽  
Passive Movement ◽  
Ankle Dorsiflexion ◽  
Passive Joint ◽  
Joint Range Of Motion ◽  
Involuntary Muscle ◽  
Joint Range

When assessing passive joint range of motion in neurological conditions, concomitant involuntary muscle activity is generally regarded small enough to ignore. This assumption is untested. If false, many clinical and laboratory studies that rely on these assessments may be in error. We determined to what extent small amounts of involuntary muscle activity limit passive range of motion in 30 able-bodied adults. Subjects were seated with the knee flexed 90° and the ankle in neutral, and predicted maximal plantarflexion torque was determined using twitch interpolation. Next, with the knee flexed 90° or fully extended, the soleus muscle was continuously electrically stimulated to generate 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% of predicted maximal torque, in random order, while the ankle was passively dorsiflexed to a torque of 9 N·m by a blinded investigator. A trial without stimulation was also performed. Ankle dorsiflexion torque-angle curves were obtained at each percent of predicted maximal torque. On average (mean, 95% confidence interval), each 1% increase in plantarflexion torque decreases ankle range of motion by 2.4° (2.0 to 2.7°; knee flexed 90°) and 2.3° (2.0 to 2.5°; knee fully extended). Thus 5% of involuntary plantarflexion torque, the amount usually considered small enough to ignore, decreases dorsiflexion range of motion by ~12°. Our results indicate that even small amounts of involuntary muscle activity will bias measures of passive range and hinder the differential diagnosis and treatment of neural and nonneural mechanisms of contracture. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The soleus muscle in able-bodied adults was tetanically stimulated while the ankle was passively dorsiflexed. Each 1% increase in involuntary plantarflexion torque at the ankle decreases the range of passive movement into dorsiflexion by >2°. Thus the range of ankle dorsiflexion decreases by ~12° when involuntary plantarflexion torque is 5% of maximum, a torque that is usually ignored. Thus very small amounts of involuntary muscle activity substantially limit passive joint range of motion.

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