Team Members
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Background
In the field of biomechanics, understanding the intricate mechanisms involved in human locomotion has long been a subject of interest. One fundamental aspect of this research is investigating how muscle activations vary between different walking conditions. In particular, this project looks to explore the disparities in muscle activation patterns during unloaded and loaded walking. This investigation aims to shed light on the adaptations that occur in the neuromuscular system when individuals carry external loads while walking over a flat surface. To achieve this, our project employs static optimization code, a powerful computational tool that utilizes mathematical optimization algorithms to estimate muscle forces and activations based on experimental motion data. By comparing muscle activations between unloaded and loaded walking using this approach, we hope to gain valuable insights into the motor control strategies employed by the human body in response to varying loads. Such knowledge may have implications in areas such as rehabilitation, sport performance, and ergonomics, potentially leading to the development of improved training techniques and interventions to enhance human locomotion under different loading conditions.
Research Question(s)
How do differences in ankle, hip, and knee kinematics cause changes in muscle activation patterns during loaded vs unloaded level walking?
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Another limitation of our analysis is that, because of the data we had access to, we could not use the "matched" trials of loaded walking. Instead, we used the "free" trials for both loaded unloaded walking, meaning the walking speed was different between the loading conditions. This makes it a bit more difficult to compare the results. For the subject/trial we used, the subject walked at 1.16 m/s for the unloaded trial and walked at 1.08 m/s for the loaded trial. Since the subject walked (understandably) slower when wearing the backpack, then the differences in joint moments and muscle activations from the unloaded trial may have been less drastic than if the unloaded speed had been matched.
(stitching)
Future Work
- strapping to shoulders vs strapping to hips
- varying the load
Acknowledgments
Big thank you to the ME485 teaching team: Scott Delp, Reed Gurchiek, Jon Stingel, Nicos Haralabidis, Nick Bianco, and Carmichael Ong. Without them, this project would not have been possible.
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