An Improved OpenSim Gait Model with Multiple Degrees of Freedom Knee Joint and Knee Ligaments

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bloswick D ; Merryweather A ; Xu H
• Description:
  Musculoskeletal models are widely used to investigate joint kinematics and predict muscle force during gait. However, the knee is usually simplified as a one degree of freedom joint and knee ligaments are neglected. The aim of this study was to develop an OpenSim gait model with enhanced knee structures. The knee joint in this study included three rotations and three translations. The three knee rotations and mediolateral translation were independent, with proximodistal and anteroposterior translations occurring as a function of knee flexion/extension. Ten elastic elements described the geometrical and mechanical properties of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL and PCL), and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL). The three independent knee rotations were evaluated using OpenSim to observe ligament function. The results showed that the anterior and posterior bundles of ACL and PCL (aACL, pACL and aPCL, pPCL) intersected during knee flexion. The aACL and pACL mainly provided force during knee flexion and adduction, respectively. The aPCL was slack throughout the range of three knee rotations; however, the pPCL was utilised for knee abduction and internal rotation. The LCL was employed for knee adduction and rotation, but was slack beyond 20 degrees of knee flexion. The MCL bundles were mainly used during knee adduction and external rotation. All these results suggest that the functions of knee ligaments in this model approximated the behaviour of the physical knee and the enhanced knee structures can improve the ability to investigate knee joint biomechanics during various gait activities. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Occupational Health
  • Safety
• Keywords:
  • Biomechanics
  • Body mechanics
  • Biomechanical modeling
  • Lower extremities
  • Computerized simulation
  • Author Keywords: knee ligaments
  • knee joint
  • gait model
• ISSN:
  1476-8259
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 8 ; Utah
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  18
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067369
• Citation:
  Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Eng 2015 Aug; 18(11):1217-1224
• Contact Point Address:
  Hang Xu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
• Email:
  hanghang500@gmail.com
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  University of Utah
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering
• End Date:
  20280630
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/231431/cdc_231431_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 843.39 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a30b3a5fb3c0f9f7c6655cfd7e973ffb0475e36370a07b27f9b4652f40325a405b86ba1587be2ec7bba151abfee460e8dfc4a639e34ac90b979bd9c05d095dd4