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Bioengineering
Special Issues
Biomechanics of Human Movement and Its Clinical Applications
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Biomechanics of Human Movement and Its Clinical Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 4884

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gordon J. Alderink

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Guest Editor
College of Health Professions, Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
Interests: normal and pathological gait; static (standing postural control) and dynamic balance (gait); sports biomechanics; kinesiological electromyography
Sylvia Öunpuu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Center for Motion Analysis, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, 399 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 05032, USA
2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
Interests: pathological gait; treatment of gait pathology; gait-based treatment outcomes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The focus of this Special Issue will be to examine the application of biomechanics to the study of human movement as it relates to gait. Submitted articles should  include a review of select systems for measuring three-dimensional human movement that are presently being used to clinically assess normal and pathological gait in children and adults. These systems include optical motion capture, inertial measurement units (IMUs), and biplane fluoroscopy. The advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of biomechanical modeling (inverse dynamics, induced acceleration analysis, and forward dynamics) should be explored as they are applied in clinical and translational research settings.

This Special Issue will include original research papers, narrative critical reviews, and examples of the clinical application of biomechanics, as provided by cohort studies or case reports. Our intention is to provide an overview of the complexity of the application of cutting-edge experimental and clinical research on human gait. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

  • Three-dimensional optical motion capture system; synchronization of motion, force, and electromyography (EMG);
  • Validation and precision of motion capture systems and biomechanical models;
  • Evolution of the full-body Helen Hayes (or plug-in gait) model and its use in human gait analysis;
  • Validation and application of simple versus multisegment foot models;
  • Use of optical motion capture (kinematics, kinetics [inverse dynamics], and EMG) in the diagnosis, evaluation, treatment recommendations, and outcomes research in cerebral palsy, club feet, Charcot–Marie–Tooth, and myelomeningocele;
  • Musculoskeletal modeling (induced acceleration and forward dynamics) in gait analysis;
  • Theory, instrumentation, and evolution (validation and precision) of inertial measurement units in the analysis of gait;
  • Theory, instrumentation, and evolution (validation and precision) of biplane fluoroscopy in the analysis of gait;
  • Integration of biplane fluoroscopy and optical motion capture in clinical practice;
  • Clinical applications in the form of cohort research and case report.

Dr. Gordon J. Alderink
Sylvia Öunpuu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Bioengineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • three-dimensional
  • kinematics
  • kinetics
  • electromyography
  • inertial measurement units
  • biplane fluoroscopy
  • biomechanical and musculoskeletal models
  • instrumented gait analysis
  • clinical applications

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 1864 KiB  
Article
An Investigation of Running Kinematics with Recovered Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction on a Treadmill and In-Field Using Inertial Measurement Units: A Preliminary Study
by Matteo Hill, Pierre Kiesewetter, Thomas L. Milani and Christian Mitschke
Bioengineering 2024, 11(4), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11040404 - 19 Apr 2024
Viewed by 431
Abstract
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) may affect movement even years after surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine possible interlimb asymmetries due to ACLR when running on a treadmill and in field conditions, with the aim of contributing to the establishment [...] Read more.
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) may affect movement even years after surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine possible interlimb asymmetries due to ACLR when running on a treadmill and in field conditions, with the aim of contributing to the establishment of objective movement assessment in real-world settings; moreover, we aimed to gain knowledge on recovered ACLR as a biomechanical risk factor. Eight subjects with a history of unilateral ACLR 5.4 ± 2.8 years after surgery and eight healthy subjects ran 1 km on a treadmill and 1 km on a concrete track. The ground contact time and triaxial peak tibial accelerations were recorded using inertial measurement units. Interlimb differences within subjects were tested and compared between conditions. There were no significant differences between limbs in the ACLR subjects or in healthy runners for any of the chosen parameters on both running surfaces. However, peak tibial accelerations were higher during field running (p-values < 0.01; Cohen’s d effect sizes > 0.8), independent of health status. To minimize limb loading due to higher impacts during field running, this should be considered when choosing a running surface, especially in rehabilitation or when running with a minor injury or health issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics of Human Movement and Its Clinical Applications)
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18 pages, 2666 KiB  
Article
Influence of Backpack Carriage and Walking Speed on Muscle Synergies in Healthy Children
by Giorgia Marino, Alessandro Scano, Giulia Beltrame, Cristina Brambilla, Alessandro Marazzi, Francesco Aparo, Lorenzo Molinari Tosatti, Roberto Gatti and Nicola Portinaro
Bioengineering 2024, 11(2), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11020173 - 10 Feb 2024
Viewed by 848
Abstract
Four to five muscle synergies account for children’s locomotion and appear to be consistent across alterations in speed and slopes. Backpack carriage induces alterations in gait kinematics in healthy children, raising questions regarding the clinical consequences related to orthopedic and neurological diseases and [...] Read more.
Four to five muscle synergies account for children’s locomotion and appear to be consistent across alterations in speed and slopes. Backpack carriage induces alterations in gait kinematics in healthy children, raising questions regarding the clinical consequences related to orthopedic and neurological diseases and ergonomics. However, to support clinical decisions and characterize backpack carriage, muscle synergies can help with understanding the alterations induced in this condition at the motor control level. In this study, we investigated how children adjust the recruitment of motor patterns during locomotion, when greater muscular demands are required (backpack carriage). Twenty healthy male children underwent an instrumental gait analysis and muscle synergies extraction during three walking conditions: self-selected, fast and load conditions. In the fast condition, a reduction in the number of synergies (three to four) was needed for reconstructing the EMG signal with the same accuracy as in the other conditions (three to five). Synergies were grouped in only four clusters in the fast condition, while five clusters were needed for the self-selected condition. The right number of clusters was not clearly identified in the load condition. Speed and backpack carriage altered nearly every spatial–temporal parameter of gait, whereas kinematic alterations reflected mainly hip and pelvis adaptations. Although the synergistic patterns were consistent across conditions, indicating a similar motor pattern in different conditions, the fast condition required fewer synergies for reconstructing the EMG signal with the same level of accuracy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics of Human Movement and Its Clinical Applications)
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18 pages, 3295 KiB  
Article
Kinematic Analysis of Human Gait in Healthy Young Adults Using IMU Sensors: Exploring Relevant Machine Learning Features for Clinical Applications
by Xavier Marimon, Itziar Mengual, Carlos López-de-Celis, Alejandro Portela, Jacobo Rodríguez-Sanz, Iria Andrea Herráez and Albert Pérez-Bellmunt
Bioengineering 2024, 11(2), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11020105 - 23 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1254
Abstract
Background: Gait is the manner or style of walking, involving motor control and coordination to adapt to the surrounding environment. Knowing the kinesthetic markers of normal gait is essential for the diagnosis of certain pathologies or the generation of intelligent ortho-prostheses for the [...] Read more.
Background: Gait is the manner or style of walking, involving motor control and coordination to adapt to the surrounding environment. Knowing the kinesthetic markers of normal gait is essential for the diagnosis of certain pathologies or the generation of intelligent ortho-prostheses for the treatment or prevention of gait disorders. The aim of the present study was to identify the key features of normal human gait using inertial unit (IMU) recordings in a walking test. Methods: Gait analysis was conducted on 32 healthy participants (age range 19–29 years) at speeds of 2 km/h and 4 km/h using a treadmill. Dynamic data were obtained using a microcontroller (Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense Rev2) with IMU sensors (BMI270). The collected data were processed and analyzed using a custom script (MATLAB 2022b), including the labeling of the four relevant gait phases and events (Stance, Toe-Off, Swing, and Heel Strike), computation of statistical features (64 features), and application of machine learning techniques for classification (8 classifiers). Results: Spider plot analysis revealed significant differences in the four events created by the most relevant statistical features. Among the different classifiers tested, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) model using a Cubic kernel achieved an accuracy rate of 92.4% when differentiating between gait events using the computed statistical features. Conclusions: This study identifies the optimal features of acceleration and gyroscope data during normal gait. The findings suggest potential applications for injury prevention and performance optimization in individuals engaged in activities involving normal gait. The creation of spider plots is proposed to obtain a personalised fingerprint of each patient’s gait fingerprint that could be used as a diagnostic tool. A deviation from a normal gait pattern can be used to identify human gait disorders. Moving forward, this information has potential for use in clinical applications in the diagnosis of gait-related disorders and developing novel orthoses and prosthetics to prevent falls and ankle sprains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics of Human Movement and Its Clinical Applications)
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11 pages, 787 KiB  
Article
Predictors of Changes in Pelvic Rotation after Surgery with or without Femoral Derotational Osteotomy in Ambulatory Children with Cerebral Palsy
by Reiko Hara, Susan A. Rethlefsen, Tishya A. L. Wren and Robert M. Kay
Bioengineering 2023, 10(10), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10101214 - 18 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1195
Abstract
Asymmetry of pelvic rotation affects function. However, predicting the post-operative changes in pelvic rotation is difficult as the root causes are complex and likely multifactorial. This retrospective study explored potential predictors of the changes in pelvic rotation after surgery with or without femoral [...] Read more.
Asymmetry of pelvic rotation affects function. However, predicting the post-operative changes in pelvic rotation is difficult as the root causes are complex and likely multifactorial. This retrospective study explored potential predictors of the changes in pelvic rotation after surgery with or without femoral derotational osteotomy (FDRO) in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP). The change in the mean pelvic rotation angle during the gait cycle, pre- to post-operatively, was examined based on the type of surgery (with or without FDRO) and CP distribution (unilateral or bilateral involvement). In unilaterally involved patients, pelvic rotation changed towards normal with FDRO (p = 0.04), whereas patients who did not undergo FDRO showed a significant worsening of pelvic asymmetry (p = 0.02). In bilaterally involved patients, the changes in pelvic rotation did not differ based on FDRO (p = 0.84). Pelvic rotation corrected more with a greater pre-operative asymmetry (β = −0.21, SE = 0.10, p = 0.03). Sex, age at surgery, GMFCS level, and follow-up time did not impact the change in pelvic rotation. For children with hemiplegia, internal hip rotation might cause compensatory deviation in pelvic rotation, which could be improved with surgical correction of the hip. The predicted changes in pelvic rotation should be considered when planning surgery for children with CP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics of Human Movement and Its Clinical Applications)
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