Joint Movement Patterns Research Articles

Methods for Determining Hip Movement in Seated Cycling and Their Effect on Kinematics and Kinetics

In a previous paper (Neptune & Hull, 1995), a new video-based method (ASIS) for locating the hip joint center (HJC) in seated cycling was shown to be more accurate than tracking a marker placed over the superior aspect of the greater trochanter (TRO). The main goal of the present study was to see if the conclusions presented in Neptune and Hull (1995) may be applied to other cyclists. Lower limb kinematic and pedal force data were collected from 7 cyclists at nine combinations of pedaling rate and work rate. ASIS produced significantly different hip joint movement patterns than TRO, which resulted in significantly different power and work calculations developed by the intersegmental hip joint force, at all combinations except one. A significant quadratic trend was evident as a function of pedaling rate, and a significant linear trend was evident for work rate. At naturally preferred pedaling rates (~90 rpm) and lower work rates (<225 W), the hip joint movement was minimum. Under these conditions, the fixed hip assumption is least prone to error.

Relations between joint torque, motion, and electromyographic patterns at the human elbow.

Voluntary movements may be considered kinematic actions resulting from the neural control patterns that activate the motoneuron pools. One school of thought proposes that specific features of the intended kinematic trajectory such as the duration of acceleration are used by the central nervous system to plan muscle activation patterns. Our own experience suggests that it is the intended force trajectory that is directed by muscle activation patterns. Although under many circumstances these two approaches lead to indistinguishable behavior patterns, examples of movements that are incompatible with the former but not the latter approach are presented in this manuscript.

Electromyographic patterns and knee joint kinematics during walking at various speeds

We investigated surface electromyographic (EMG) patterns and knee joint kinematics when the speed of walking was increased from 3.5 to 5.0 km/h on horizontal and inclined (25%) treadmill. The EMG signals from six lower limb muscles (sartorius, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius lateralis, and tibialis anterior) were recorded from 10 subjects. The knee joint flexion/extension angle was measured by a goniometer. The mean EMG amplitudes, peak EMG amplitude, and EMG profiles were calculated for the muscles for each stride, together with the knee joint angle, knee joint angular velocity, and knee joint angular acceleration. The modulations created in the mean and peak EMG amplitudes by changing the walking speed were different for the muscles tested. The peak knee joint angle, velocity, and acceleration were enhanced as the walking speed was increased. An increase in speed for both horizontal and uphill walking did not change the shape of the EMG profile or the shape of the knee joint kinematic profiles, indicating that the central nervous system (CNS) tends to maintain the shape of the knee joint movement pattern despite substantial changes in EMG amplitude.

Normative data of knee joint motion and ground reaction forces in adult level walking

A normative data base of temporal distance factors, knee joint motion and ground reaction force patterns for 148 adults during level walking is reported. The data were studied using parametric and non-parametric (Fourier series) representations to facilitate statistical analyses. Key parameters were divided according to age and sex. Individual force and motion curves of each normal subject were averaged to establish the ‘typical’ patterns. All typical patterns were combined to construct the ‘general’ patterns. The essential number and most significant Fourier coefficients were determined. It was found that the sex-related variation is more significant than the age-related variation in adult gait. This data base can serve as a common reference for comparison.