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Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics

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A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomechanics and Sports Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 11388

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Prof. Dr. Philippe Gorce

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International Institute of Biomechanics and Occupational Ergonomics, Université de Toulon, CS60584, 83041 Toulon, France
Interests: musculoskeletal disorders; systematic reviews and meta-analysis; occupational health; ergonomics; biomechanics; MSD prevalence; safety; public health
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Dear Colleagues,

Protecting people at work and at leisure, and improving their quality of life, is one of the major challenges of our century. From this perspective, understanding the mechanisms that lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders and diseases is a major multidisciplinary scientific challenge. This Special Issue is dedicated to recent advances in biomechanical modeling research used to explore and understand the musculoskeletal system (macro- and microscopic). Computational techniques, biomechanical calculation tools and numerical tools enable us to quantify and qualify the most important parameters (biomechanical, physiological, biological or environmental) involved in the onset, prevention and reduction of the effects of musculoskeletal disorders and/or the development of musculoskeletal diseases. They can be used as a complement to experimental protocols, clinical studies, process design, ergonomics, etc., to study, evaluate and understand various situations in life, such as repeated movements in the workplace, evaluation of leisure-time physical activities, analysis of sporting movements to assess performance, design of new equipment to compensate for a motor impairment, proposal of new recommendations in a clinical setting, etc. We support all articles promoting the latest research in the fields of sport, health, rehabilitation and ergonomics that contribute to improving people's health and quality of life.

Prof. Dr. Philippe Gorce
Guest Editor

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Keywords

musculoskeletal disorders
musculoskeletal diseases
injury biomechanics
muscle biomechanics dynamic and kinematic modeling
gait and posture
muscle electromyography
motion analysis
postural control and balance
occupational health
occupational ergonomics
sport medicine
sport performance
quality of life

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 9211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Musculoskeletal Disorder Risk Assessment during the Tennis Serve: Performance and Prevention

by Philippe Gorce and Julien Jacquier-Bret

Bioengineering 2024, 11(10), 974; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11100974 - 27 Sep 2024

Viewed by 591

Abstract

Addressing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) during a tennis serve is a challenge for both protecting athletes and maintaining performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of MSD occurrence using the rapid whole-body assessment (REBA) ergonomic tool at each time step, using 3D kinematic analysis of joint angles for slow and fast serves. Two force platforms (750 Hz) and an optoelectronic system including 10 infrared cameras (150 Hz, 82 markers located on the whole body and on the racket) were used to capture the kinematics of the six REBA joint areas over five services in two young male and two young female ranked players. The mean REBA score was 9.66 ± 1.11 (ranging from 7.75 to 11.85) with the maximum value observed for the loading and cocking stage (REBA score > 11). The intermediate scores for each of the six joint areas ranged between 2 and 3 and the maximum value of their respective scales. The lowest scores were observed for the shoulder. Neck rotation and shoulder flexion are parameters that could be taken into account when analyzing performance in the context of MSD prevention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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18 pages, 1415 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Fall Risk Diagnosis in Older Adults Using a Bayesian Classifier and Simulated Annealing

by Enrique Hernandez-Laredo, Ángel Gabriel Estévez-Pedraza, Laura Mercedes Santiago-Fuentes and Lorena Parra-Rodríguez

Bioengineering 2024, 11(9), 908; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11090908 - 11 Sep 2024

Viewed by 866

Abstract

The aim of this study was to improve the diagnostic ability of fall risk classifiers using a Bayesian approach and the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm. A total of 47 features from 181 records (40 Center of Pressure (CoP) indices and 7 patient descriptive variables) were analyzed. The wrapper method of feature selection using the SA algorithm was applied to optimize the cost function based on the difference of the mean minus the standard deviation of the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the fall risk classifiers across multiple dimensions. A stratified 60–20–20% hold-out method was used for train, test, and validation sets, respectively. The results showed that although the highest performance was observed with 31 features (0.815 ± 0.110), lower variability and higher explainability were achieved with only 15 features (0.780 ± 0.055). These findings suggest that the SA algorithm is a valuable tool for feature selection for acceptable fall risk diagnosis. This method offers an alternative or complementary resource in situations where clinical tools are difficult to apply. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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13 pages, 3750 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Efficacy of Body-Weight Supported Treadmill Training and Neurotrophin-Releasing Scaffold in Minimizing Bone Loss Following Spinal Cord Injury

by Michael Weiser, Lindsay Stoy, Valerie Lallo, Sriram Balasubramanian and Anita Singh

Bioengineering 2024, 11(8), 819; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11080819 - 12 Aug 2024

Viewed by 831

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to significant bone loss below the level of the lesion increasing the risk of fracture and increased morbidity. Body-weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) and transplantation strategies using neurotrophins have been shown to improve motor function after SCI. While rehabilitation training including BWSTT has also been effective in reducing bone loss post-SCI, the effects of transplantation therapies in bone restoration are not fully understood. Furthermore, the effects of a combinational treatment strategy on bone post-SCI also remain unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a combination therapy including transplantation of scaffold-releasing neurotrophins and BWSTT on the forelimb and hindlimb bones of a T9-T10 contused SCI animals. Humerus and tibia bones were harvested for Micro-CT scanning and a three-point bending test from four animal groups, namely injury, BWSTT (injury with BWSTT), scaffold (injury with scaffold-releasing neurotrophins), and combinational (injury treated with scaffold-releasing neurotrophins and BWSTT). BWSTT and combinational groups reported higher biomechanical properties in the tibial bone (below injury level) and lower biomechanical properties in the humerus bone (above injury level) when compared to the injury and scaffold groups. Studied structural parameters, including the cortical thickness and bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV) were also higher in the tibia and lower in the humerus bones of BWSTT and combinational groups when compared to the injury and scaffold groups. While no significant differences were observed, this study is the first to report the effects of a combinational treatment strategy on bone loss in contused SCI animals and can help guide future interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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13 pages, 2326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Back Muscle Flexion–Relaxation Phenomenon in Constrained versus Unconstrained Leg Postures

by Yi-Lang Chen and Ying-Hua Liao

Bioengineering 2024, 11(7), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11070736 - 20 Jul 2024

Viewed by 817

Abstract

Previous studies examining the flexion–relaxation phenomenon (FRP) in back muscles through trunk forward flexion tests have yielded inconsistent findings, primarily due to variations in leg posture control. This study aimed to explore the influence of leg posture control and individual flexibility on FRP in back and low limb muscles. Thirty-two male participants, evenly distributed into high- and low-flexibility groups, were recruited. Activities of the erector spinae, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius muscles, alongside the lumbosacral angle (LSA), were recorded as participants executed trunk flexion from 0° to 90° in 15° increments, enabling an analysis of FRP and its correlation with the investigated variables. The findings highlighted significant effects of all examined factors on the measured responses. At a trunk flexion angle of 60°, the influence of leg posture and flexibility on erector spinae activities was particularly pronounced. Participants with limited flexibility exhibited the most prominent FRP under constrained leg posture, while those with greater flexibility and unconstrained leg posture displayed the least FRP, indicated by their relatively larger LSAs. Under constrained leg posture conditions, participants experienced an approximate 1/3 to 1/2 increase in gastrocnemius activity throughout trunk flexion from 30° to 90°, while biceps femoris activity remained relatively constant. Using an inappropriate leg posture during back muscle FRP assessments can overestimate FRP. These findings offer guidance for designing future FRP research protocols. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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12 pages, 4779 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Dynamic Taping on Landing Biomechanics after Fatigue in Young Football Athletes: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled Crossover Trial

by Chih-Kuan Wu, Yin-Chou Lin, Ya-Lin Chen, Yi-Ping Chao and Tsung-Hsun Hsieh

Bioengineering 2024, 11(6), 631; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11060631 - 20 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1138

Abstract

Fatigue is believed to increase the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury by directly promoting high-risk biomechanics in the lower limbs. Studies have shown that dynamic taping can help normalize inadequate biomechanics during landings. This study aims to examine the effects of dynamic taping on landing biomechanics in fatigued football athletes. Twenty-seven high-school football athletes were recruited and randomly allocated to groups of either active taping or sham taping, with a crossover allocation two weeks later. In each group, the participants underwent a functional agility short-term fatigue protocol and were evaluated using the landing error scoring system before and after the fatigue protocol. The landing error scoring system (LESS) scores in the sham taping group increased from 4.24 ± 1.83 to 5.36 ± 2.00 (t = −2.07, p = 0.04, effect size = 0.61). In contrast, the pre–post difference did not reach statistical significance in the active taping group (from 4.24 ± 1.69 to 4.52 ± 1.69, t = −1.50, p = 0.15, effect size 0.46). Furthermore, the pre–post changes between the sham and active taping groups were statistically significant (sham taping: 1.12 ± 1.20; active taping: 0.28 ± 0.94, p = 0.007). Dynamic taping, particularly using the spiral technique, appeared to mitigate faulty landing biomechanics in the fatigued athletes by reducing hip and knee flexion and increasing hip internal rotation during landing. These results suggest that dynamic taping can potentially offer protective benefits in landing mechanics, which could further be applied to prevent ACL injuries in fatigued athletes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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16 pages, 1998 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preliminary Virtual Constraint-Based Control Evaluation on a Pediatric Lower-Limb Exoskeleton

by Anthony C. Goo, Curt A. Laubscher, Douglas A. Wajda and Jerzy T. Sawicki

Bioengineering 2024, 11(6), 590; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11060590 - 8 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1118

Abstract

Pediatric gait rehabilitation and guidance strategies using robotic exoskeletons require a controller that encourages user volitional control and participation while guiding the wearer towards a stable gait cycle. Virtual constraint-based controllers have created stable gait cycles in bipedal robotic systems and have seen recent use in assistive exoskeletons. This paper evaluates a virtual constraint-based controller for pediatric gait guidance through comparison with a traditional time-dependent position tracking controller on a newly developed exoskeleton system. Walking experiments were performed with a healthy child subject wearing the exoskeleton under proportional-derivative control, virtual constraint-based control, and while unpowered. The participant questionnaires assessed the perceived exertion and controller usability measures, while sensors provided kinematic, control torque, and muscle activation data. The virtual constraint-based controller resulted in a gait similar to the proportional-derivative controlled gait but reduced the variability in the gait kinematics by 36.72% and 16.28% relative to unassisted gait in the hips and knees, respectively. The virtual constraint-based controller also used 35.89% and 4.44% less rms torque per gait cycle in the hips and knees, respectively. The user feedback indicated that the virtual constraint-based controller was intuitive and easy to utilize relative to the proportional-derivative controller. These results indicate that virtual constraint-based control has favorable characteristics for robot-assisted gait guidance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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16 pages, 6070 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biomechanical Effects of the Badminton Split-Step on Forecourt Lunging Footwork

by Yile Wang, Liu Xu, Hanhui Jiang, Lin Yu, Hanzhang Wu and Qichang Mei

Bioengineering 2024, 11(5), 501; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11050501 - 17 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2081

Abstract

Background: This research investigates the biomechanical impact of the split-step technique on forehand and backhand lunges in badminton, aiming to enhance players’ on-court movement efficiency. Despite the importance of agile positioning in badminton, the specific contributions of the split-step to the biomechanical impact of lunging footwork still need to be determined. Methods: This study examined the lower limb kinematics and ground reaction forces of 18 male badminton players performing forehand and backhand lunges. Data were collected using the VICON motion capture system and Kistler force platforms. Variability in biomechanical characteristics was assessed using paired-sample t-tests and Statistical Parametric Mapping 1D (SPM1D). Results: The study demonstrates that the split-step technique in badminton lunges significantly affects lower limb biomechanics. During forehand lunges, the split-step increases hip abduction and rotation while decreasing knee flexion at foot contact. In backhand lunges, it increases knee rotation and decreases ankle rotation. Additionally, the split-step enhances the loading rate of the initial ground reaction force peak and narrows the time gap between the first two peaks. Conclusions: These findings underscore the split-step’s potential in optimizing lunging techniques, improving performance and reducing injury risks in badminton athletes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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16 pages, 2874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Compensation Method for Missing and Misidentified Skeletons in Nursing Care Action Assessment by Improving Spatial Temporal Graph Convolutional Networks

by Xin Han, Norihiro Nishida, Minoru Morita, Takashi Sakai and Zhongwei Jiang

Bioengineering 2024, 11(2), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11020127 - 29 Jan 2024

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1283

Abstract

With the increasing aging population, nursing care providers have been facing a substantial risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Visual-based pose estimation methods, like OpenPose, are commonly used for ergonomic posture risk assessment. However, these methods face difficulty when identifying overlapping and interactive nursing tasks, resulting in missing and misidentified skeletons. To address this, we propose a skeleton compensation method using improved spatial temporal graph convolutional networks (ST-GCN), which integrates kinematic chain and action features to assess skeleton integrity and compensate for it. The results verified the effectiveness of our approach in optimizing skeletal loss and misidentification in nursing care tasks, leading to improved accuracy in calculating both skeleton joint angles and REBA scores. Moreover, comparative analysis against other skeleton compensation methods demonstrated the superior performance of our approach, achieving an 87.34% REBA accuracy score. Collectively, our method might hold promising potential for optimizing the skeleton loss and misidentification in nursing care tasks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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17 pages, 5057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling and Analysis of Foot Function in Human Gait Using a Two-Degrees-of-Freedom Inverted Pendulum Model with an Arced Foot

by Qian Xiang, Shijie Guo, Jiaxin Wang, Kazunobu Hashimoto, Yong Liu and Lei Liu

Bioengineering 2023, 10(12), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10121344 - 22 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1584

Abstract

Gait models are important for the design and control of lower limb exoskeletons. The inverted pendulum model has advantages in simplicity and computational efficiency, but it also has the limitations of oversimplification and lack of realism. This paper proposes a two-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) inverted pendulum walking model by considering the knee joints for describing the characteristics of human gait. A new parameter, roll factor, is defined to express foot function in the model, and the relationships between the roll factor and gait parameters are investigated. Experiments were conducted to verify the model by testing seven healthy adults at different walking speeds. The results demonstrate that the roll factor has a strong relationship with other gait kinematics parameters, so it can be used as a simple parameter for expressing gait kinematics. In addition, the roll factor can be used to identify walking styles with high accuracy, including small broken step walking at 99.57%, inefficient walking at 98.14%, and normal walking at 99.43%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders and Diseases: Biomechanical Modeling in Sport, Health, Rehabilitation and Ergonomics)

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