A musculoskeletal model customized for squatting task

Abstract

Most musculoskeletal models (MSKM) are designed to evaluate gait and running, which have limited range of motion (ROM). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of wrapping surfaces (WS) at the knee and hip joints in a MSKM, on the muscle moment arms (MA) and activations during squatting. The MSKM was then customized by changing parameters of the original WS and by implementing additional WS. The WS prevent muscles from crossing into the bones, providing realistic muscle MA for large ROM. The modified MSKM is suitable for analysis up to 138° hip and 145° knee flexions.

Keywords:

• Musculoskeletal model
• squatting
• hip
• knee
• wrapping surfaces

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science without Borders Scholarship (Brazil) [1098/13-06]; Canadian Institutes of Health Research [97778A]; and National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada [106769-2013].