Search results for "Joint angle"
showing 7 items of 7 documents
Stretch-reflex mechanical response to varying types of previous muscle activities
2002
This study was designed to examine the effects of varying types of background muscle activity on the stretch-reflex mechanical response. A rapid stretch was applied to the calf muscles after an isometric (pre-ISO), shortening (pre-SHO) and lengthening contraction (pre-LEN) with several pre-contraction levels, respectively. The stretch perturbation was applied with the tibio-tarsal joint angle at 90 degrees. The ankle joint torque elicited by the stretch showed a first peak (non-reflex torque: NRT), a transient drop and a second peak (reflex torque: RT). The muscle activities before the stretch clearly influenced the stretch-reflex mechanical response. The NRT reached the largest peak with t…
Effects of joint angle and age on ankle dorsi- and plantar-flexor strength.
2007
This study aimed at examining the effects of joint angle and age on the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque, for the agonist and antagonist muscle groups around the ankle, i.e., the dorsi- and plantar-flexors. To this aim, neural and muscular factors were investigated in two groups of healthy men: 11 young (mean age, 24 years) and 18 older (mean age, 78 years). Plantar-flexion (PF) and dorsiflexion (DF) isometric MVC torques were measured in three different ankle joint angles and surface electromyographic activities of the triceps surae and of the tibialis anterior muscles were recorded. The main findings were that the DF-to-PF MVC torque ratio varied with joint angle and age, indica…
Postactivation potentiation in human knee extensors during dynamic passive movements.
2008
Purpose: Postactivation potentiation (PAP), i.e., the increase in twitch torque following a maximal voluntary conditioning contraction, has been shown to depend on muscle contractile conditions (e.g., muscle length). Few studies, however, have investigated the extent of twitch PAP under dynamic conditions in human subjects. Therefore, the aim of the present experiment was to test the twitch PAP during passive dynamic movements following isometric conditioning contractions on nine healthy men. Methods: Maximal twitches were evoked on the knee extensor muscles before and exactly 5 s after a 3-s conditioning maximal voluntary isometric contraction. PAP was determined at a constant joint angle …
How the ankle joint angle alters the antagonist and agonist torques during maximal efforts in dorsi- and plantar flexion
2011
The aim of this study was to assess, via an EMG bio-feedback method, the ankle joint angle effect on the agonist and antagonist torques in plantar- (PF) and dorsi-flexion (DF). The isometric PF and DF maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) torques were measured simultaneously with surface EMG activity of triceps surae (TS) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles in 12 young adults (mean age 27) at five different ankle joint angles. Our results showed that: (i) The coactivation level does not properly reflect the mechanical effect of the antagonist muscle, (ii) TS antagonist torque significantly altered the DF MVC-angle relationship, whereas TA antagonist torque did not influence this MVC-angle re…
The Use of Accelerometers and Gyroscopes to Estimate Hip and Knee Angles on Gait Analysis
2014
In this paper the performance of a sensor system, which has been developed to estimate hip and knee angles and the beginning of the gait phase, have been investigated. The sensor system consists of accelerometers and gyroscopes. A new algorithm was developed in order to avoid the error accumulation due to the gyroscopes drift and vibrations due to the ground contact at the beginning of the stance phase. The proposed algorithm have been tested and compared to some existing algorithms on over-ground walking trials with a commercial device for assisted gait. The results have shown the good accuracy of the angles estimation, also in high angle rate movement.
Robust Ergonomic Virtual Design
2009
Since early development phases of a new industrial product, realistic simulations can be performed in virtual environment to study the human-machine interaction. In a virtual lab it is possible to make experiments to assess the ergonomics of the new product with manikins simulating the human body, and dealing with the problem of anthropometrical variation. Although such sophisticated tools are available, there is still need of a methodo-logical framework aimed at efficiently organizing the experiments in virtual lab. This paper provides an overview of the Robust Ergonomic Virtual Design (REVD), a methodology developed by the authors in the course of the last years. It allows obtaining produ…
Non-uniformity of displacement and strain within the Achilles tendon is affected by joint angle configuration and differential muscle loading.
2020
Although the Achilles tendon (AT) has been studied for more than a century, a complete understanding of the mechanical and functional consequences of AT structural organization is currently lacking. The aim of this study was to assess how joint angle configuration affects subtendon displacement and strain of soleus (SOL) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) muscles. Knots sutured onto SOL and LG subtendons of 12 Wistar rats, were videotaped to quantify displacements and the ankle torque was assessed for different isometric activation conditions (i.e., individual and simultaneous) of the triceps surae muscles. Changing ankle and knee joint angle affected the magnitude of displacement, relative dis…