A methodology to restrict the range of motion of joints: Application to the ankle joint complex

Abstract

One of the most critical aspects when developing biomechanical models is the formulation of the joints, which, in the case of the human body, have limited range of motion (RoM). Thus, restrictions to prevent joints from performing unacceptable movements and avoid unrealistic configurations of the adjacent bodies must be formulated. This study extends the authors’ previous work to demonstrate the potential of applying a methodology to restrict the RoM of joints to the complex case of the human ankle joint complex. The methodology applies joint resistance moments to the adjacent bodies to mimic the resistive and dissipative behavior of the constituent materials and to prevent unacceptable configurations of those bodies. A detailed description of the application of the methodology to the ankle joint complex is given, including the definition of the joint's local reference frames and circumduction cones, estimation of the longitude and latitude, calculation of the maximum latitude using the elliptical approach and the transfer of forces and moments to the adjacent bodies. The methodology correctly restricts the RoM of the ankle joint complex, producing physiologically sound simulation results.