1-D blood flow modelling in a running human body

Abstract

In this paper an attempt was made to simulate blood flow in a mobile human arterial network, specifically, in a running human subject. In order to simulate the effect of motion, a previously published immobile 1-D model was modified by including an inertial force term into the momentum equation. To calculate inertial force, gait analysis was performed at different levels of speed. Our results show that motion has a significant effect on the amplitudes of the blood pressure and flow rate but the average values are not effected significantly.

Keywords:

• 1-D modelling
• arterial network
• body acceleration
• exercise
• arterial blood flow

Acknowledgements

The gait analysis was performed in the Gait Laboratory of Department of Orthopedics at Semmelweis University of Budapest. The subject was informed in writing about the risks and benefits of the study, and given the opportunity to withdraw from the study at any time; the subject confirmed these actions by providing written informed consent. We wish to express our gratitude to Dr László Kullmann for his help in describing transient flow in non-inertial reference frames.