A computationally efficient method for assessing muscle function during human locomotion

Abstract

When a muscle is activated, it contracts, develops force, and, by virtue of a lever arm, exerts a torque about one or more of the joints it spans. Dynamic coupling in a multi-joint system ensures that a muscle can simultaneously accelerate all the joints in the body, even those it does not span. The overall goal of the present study was to develop an accurate and computationally efficient method for quantifying muscle function during human locomotion. Our specific aims were first to assess the accuracy of the method by comparing its results against reference data reported in the literature; and second to demonstrate the application of the method in the study of leg-muscle function in walking..