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Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II

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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: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 15606

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Dr. Christina Zong-Hao Ma

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Guest Editor

Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: aging; skeletal muscle; balance and gait; prevention of falls and slips; physical activity; smart wearable technology
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Dr. Hong Fu

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Guest Editor

Department of Mathematics and Information Technology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Interests: computer vision algorithms; artificial intelligence in healthcare and education; eye tracking and motion detection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Research in the field of biomechanics and motion analysis has seen rapid growth in recent years. Conducting biomechanical and motion analysis can build on our knowledge and understanding regarding normal human posture and locomotion, pathological movement, physical disorders, and how humans interact with the environment biomechanically, as well as facilitate the development of targeted sport and rehabilitation approaches, etc. With the recent advancement of technology, it is also feasible for researchers to apply a number of state-of-the-art systems, devices, and algorithms to study biomechanics and motion, from external body movement to internal cellular response, from indoor lab-settings to the outdoor environment, and from bench experiments to clinical application.

This Special Issue will focus on recent research and developments in biomechanics and motion analysis.

The journal will be accepting contributions (both original articles and reviews) that mainly focus on the following topics:

Biomechanics;
Upper-limb biomechanics;
Lower-limb biomechanics;
Spinal biomechanics;
Motion capture and analysis;
Interface biomechanics;
Shear force in ergonomics;
Pressure in ergonomics;
Computational orthopaedics;
Physical ergonomics;
Sports engineering;
Rehabilitation engineering;
Biomechanical interaction between human and environment;
Postural stability;
Balance and gait control;
Physical activity;
Computer vision algorithms for motion capture and analysis;
Artificial intelligence (AI) in biomechanics;
Artificial intelligence (AI) in motion capture and analysis;
Motion tracking and detection;
Wearable devices for biomechanical analysis;
Wearable devices for motion capture and analysis;
State-of-the-art biomechanics technology and systems;
State-of-the-art motion capture technology and systems.

Dr. Christina Zong-Hao Ma
Dr. Hong Fu
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

biomechanics
motion capture and analysis
sports and rehabilitation engineering
artificial intelligence
assistive technology

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3231 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of 3D Markerless Motion Capture System Accuracy during Skate Skiing on a Treadmill

by Petra Torvinen, Keijo S. Ruotsalainen, Shuang Zhao, Neil Cronin, Olli Ohtonen and Vesa Linnamo

Bioengineering 2024, 11(2), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11020136 - 29 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1190

Abstract

In this study, we developed a deep learning-based 3D markerless motion capture system for skate skiing on a treadmill and evaluated its accuracy against marker-based motion capture during G1 and G3 skating techniques. Participants performed roller skiing trials on a skiing treadmill. Trials were recorded with two synchronized video cameras (100 Hz). We then trained a custom model using DeepLabCut, and the skiing movements were analyzed using both DeepLabCut-based markerless motion capture and marker-based motion capture systems. We statistically compared joint centers and joint vector angles between the methods. The results demonstrated a high level of agreement for joint vector angles, with mean differences ranging from −2.47° to 3.69°. For joint center positions and toe placements, mean differences ranged from 24.0 to 40.8 mm. This level of accuracy suggests that our markerless approach could be useful as a skiing coaching tool. The method presents interesting opportunities for capturing and extracting value from large amounts of data without the need for markers attached to the skier and expensive cameras. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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20 pages, 5432 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Biomechanical Simulation of Forearm Flexion Using the Finite Element Approach

by Chenyang Liang, Fei Jiang, Daisuke Kawaguchi and Xian Chen

Bioengineering 2024, 11(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11010023 - 25 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1024

Abstract

Upper limb movement is vital in daily life. A biomechanical simulation of the forearm with consideration of the physiological characteristics of the muscles is instrumental in gaining deeper insights into the upper limb motion mechanisms. In this study, we established a finite element model of the forearm, including the radius, biceps brachii, and tendons. We simulated the motion of the forearm resulting from the contraction of the biceps brachii by using a Hill-type transversely isotropic hyperelastic muscle model. We adjusted the contraction velocity of the biceps brachii muscle in the simulation and found that a slower muscle contraction velocity facilitated forearm flexion. Then, we changed the percentage of fast-twitch fibers, the maximum muscle strength, and the neural excitation values of the biceps brachii muscle to investigate the forearm flexion of elderly individuals. Our results indicated that reduced fast-twitch fiber percentage, maximum muscle strength, and neural excitation contributed to the decline in forearm motion capability in elderly individuals. Additionally, there is a threshold for neural excitation, below which, motion capability sharply declines. Our model aids in understanding the role of the biceps brachii in forearm flexion and identifying the causes of upper limb movement disorders, which is able to provide guidance for enhancing upper limb performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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14 pages, 1789 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Elastic Resistance and Shoulder Movement Patterns: An Analysis of Reaching Tasks Based on Proprioception

by Gyuseok Shim, Duwon Yang, Woorim Cho, Jihyeon Kim, Hyangshin Ryu, Woong Choi and Jaehyo Kim

Bioengineering 2024, 11(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11010001 - 19 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1040

Abstract

This study departs from the conventional research on horizontal plane reach movements by examining human motor control strategies in vertical plane elastic load reach movements conducted without visual feedback. Here, participants performed shoulder presses with elastic resistances at low, moderate, and high intensities without access to visual information about their hand position, relying exclusively on proprioceptive feedback and synchronizing their movements with a metronome set at a 3 s interval. The results revealed consistent performance symmetry across different intensities in terms of the reach speed (p = 0.254–0.736), return speed (p = 0.205–0.882), and movement distance (p = 0.480–0.919). This discovery underscores the human capacity to uphold bilateral symmetry in movement execution when relying solely on proprioception. Furthermore, this study observed an asymmetric velocity profile where the reach duration remained consistent irrespective of the load (1.15 s), whereas the return duration increased with higher loads (1.39 s–1.45 s). These findings suggest that, in the absence of visual feedback, the asymmetric velocity profile does not result from the execution of the action but rather represents a deliberate deceleration post-reach aimed at achieving the target position as generated by the brain’s internal model. These findings hold significant implications for interpreting rehabilitation approaches under settings devoid of visual feedback. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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17 pages, 3059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spinal Cord Epidural Stimulation Improves Lower Spine Sitting Posture Following Severe Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

by Kundan Joshi, Enrico Rejc, Beatrice Ugiliweneza, Susan J. Harkema and Claudia A. Angeli

Bioengineering 2023, 10(9), 1065; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10091065 - 09 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1101

Abstract

Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to impaired trunk motor control, negatively impacting the performance of activities of daily living in the affected individuals. Improved trunk control with better sitting posture has been previously observed due to neuromuscular electrical stimulation and transcutaneous spinal stimulation, while improved postural stability has been observed with spinal cord epidural stimulation (scES). Hence, we studied how trunk-specific scES impacts sitting independence and posture. Fourteen individuals with chronic, severe cervical SCI with an implanted neurostimulator performed a 5-min tall-sit task without and with trunk-specific scES. Spine posture was assessed by placing markers on five spine levels and evaluating vertical spine inclination angles. Duration of trunk manual assistance was used to assess independence along with the number of independence changes and average independence score across those changes. With scES, the sacrum-L1 inclination and number of independence changes tended to decrease by 1.64 ± 3.16° (p = 0.07; Cohen’s d = 0.53) and 9.86 ± 16.8 (p = 0.047; Cohen’s d = 0.59), respectively. Additionally, for the participants who had poor sitting independence without scES, level of independence tended to increase by 12.91% [0%, 31.52%] (p = 0.38; Cohen’s d = 0.96) when scES was present. Hence, trunk-specific scES promoted improvements in lower spine posture and lower levels of trunk assistance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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26 pages, 8055 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Muscular and Kinematic Responses to Unexpected Translational Balance Perturbation: A Pilot Study in Healthy Young Adults

by Cheuk Ying Tong, Ringo Tang-Long Zhu, Yan To Ling, Eduardo Mendonça Scheeren, Freddy Man Hin Lam, Hong Fu and Christina Zong-Hao Ma

Bioengineering 2023, 10(7), 831; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10070831 - 13 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1312

Abstract

Falls and fall-related injuries are significant public health problems in older adults. While balance-controlling strategies have been extensively researched, there is still a lack of understanding regarding how fast the lower-limb muscles contract and coordinate in response to a sudden loss of standing balance. Therefore, this pilot study aims to investigate the speed and timing patterns of multiple joint/muscles’ activities among the different challenges in standing balance. Twelve healthy young subjects were recruited, and they received unexpected translational balance perturbations with randomized intensities and directions. Electromyographical (EMG) and mechanomyographical (MMG) signals of eight dominant-leg’s muscles, dominant-leg’s three-dimensional (3D) hip/knee/ankle joint angles, and 3D postural sways were concurrently collected. Two-way ANOVAs were used to examine the difference in timing and speed of the collected signals among muscles/joint motions and among perturbation intensities. This study has found that (1) agonist muscles resisting the induced postural sway tended to activate more rapidly than the antagonist muscles, and ankle muscles contributed the most with the fastest rate of response; (2) voluntary corrective lower-limb joint motions and postural sways could occur as early as the perturbation-induced passive ones; (3) muscles reacted more rapidly under a larger perturbation intensity, while the joint motions or postural sways did not. These findings expand the current knowledge on standing-balance-controlling mechanisms and may potentially provide more insights for developing future fall-prevention strategies in daily life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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11 pages, 1273 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gender Differences in Lower Extremity Stiffness during a Single-Leg Landing Motion in Badminton

by Yanan Zhang, Zhe Hu, Bairan Li, Xuan Qiu, Ming Li, Xiangwei Meng, Sukwon Kim and Youngsuk Kim

Bioengineering 2023, 10(6), 631; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10060631 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1658

Abstract

In general, at the same level of exercise, female athletes are three to six times more likely to injure an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) than male athletes. Female athletes also had higher rates of ACL injury than males in a single-leg landing task after a backcourt backhand side overhead stroke in badminton. In many previous studies, stiffness of the musculoskeletal system in the lower limbs has been reported as a potential factor contributing to differences in ACL injury rates between genders. The purpose of this study was to describe the differences between genders in leg and knee stiffness in male and female athletes during a single-leg landing action after the backhand side overhead shot in the backcourt. Eight male athletes and eight female athletes participated in this test. Leg stiffness and knee stiffness were calculated separately for male and female athletes during the landing phase. The results showed that both absolute and normalized leg stiffness were lower in female athletes than in male athletes (p < 0.05). And both absolute and normalized knee stiffness were also lower than male athletes (p < 0.05). The low leg stiffness and knee stiffness demonstrated by females in this single-leg drop task compared to male athletes may indicate that females have lower dynamic leg stability than males during the drop, which may lead to hypermobility of the knee joint and may put females at a higher risk of injury in this high-risk maneuver for non-contact cruciate ligament injuries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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15 pages, 2597 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pallidal Recordings in Chronically Implanted Dystonic Patients: Mitigation of Tremor-Related Artifacts

by Jasmin Del Vecchio Del Vecchio, Ibrahem Hanafi, Nicoló Gabriele Pozzi, Philipp Capetian, Ioannis U. Isaias, Stefan Haufe and Chiara Palmisano

Bioengineering 2023, 10(4), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10040476 - 15 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1625

Abstract

Low-frequency oscillatory patterns of pallidal local field potentials (LFPs) have been proposed as a physiomarker for dystonia and hold the promise for personalized adaptive deep brain stimulation. Head tremor, a low-frequency involuntary rhythmic movement typical of cervical dystonia, may cause movement artifacts in LFP signals, compromising the reliability of low-frequency oscillations as biomarkers for adaptive neurostimulation. We investigated chronic pallidal LFPs with the Percept^TM PC (Medtronic PLC) device in eight subjects with dystonia (five with head tremors). We applied a multiple regression approach to pallidal LFPs in patients with head tremors using kinematic information measured with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and an electromyographic signal (EMG). With IMU regression, we found tremor contamination in all subjects, whereas EMG regression identified it in only three out of five. IMU regression was also superior to EMG regression in removing tremor-related artifacts and resulted in a significant power reduction, especially in the theta-alpha band. Pallido-muscular coherence was affected by a head tremor and disappeared after IMU regression. Our results show that the Percept PC can record low-frequency oscillations but also reveal spectral contamination due to movement artifacts. IMU regression can identify such artifact contamination and be a suitable tool for its removal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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14 pages, 1465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparison of Inertial Measurement Units and Overnight Videography to Assess Sleep Biomechanics

by Nicholas Buckley, Paul Davey, Lynn Jensen, Kevin Baptist, Angela Jacques, Bas Jansen, Amity Campbell and Jenny Downs

Bioengineering 2023, 10(4), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10040408 - 25 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1123

Abstract

Purpose: The assessment of sleep biomechanics (comprising movement and position during sleep) is of interest in a wide variety of clinical and research settings. However, there is no standard method by which sleep biomechanics are measured. This study aimed to (1) compare the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the current clinical standard, manually coded overnight videography, and (2) compare sleep position recorded using overnight videography to sleep position recorded using the XSENS DOT wearable sensor platform. Methods: Ten healthy adult volunteers slept for one night with XSENS DOT units in situ (on their chest, pelvis, and left and right thighs), with three infrared video cameras recording concurrently. Ten clips per participant were edited from the video. Sleeping position in each clip was coded by six experienced allied health professionals using the novel Body Orientation During Sleep (BODS) Framework, comprising 12 sections in a 360-degree circle. Intra-rater reliability was assessed by calculating the differences between the BODS ratings from repeated clips and the percentage who were rated with a maximum of one section of the XSENS DOT value; the same methodology was used to establish the level of agreement between the XSENS DOT and allied health professional ratings of overnight videography. Bennett’s S-Score was used to assess inter-rater reliability. Results: High intra-rater reliability (90% of ratings with maximum difference of one section) and moderate inter-rater reliability (Bennett’s S-Score 0.466 to 0.632) were demonstrated in the BODS ratings. The raters demonstrated high levels of agreement overall with the XSENS DOT platform, with 90% of ratings from allied health raters being within the range of at least 1 section of the BODS (as compared to the corresponding XSENS DOT produced rating). Conclusions: The current clinical standard for assessing sleep biomechanics, manually rated overnight videography (as rated using the BODS Framework) demonstrated acceptable intra- and inter-rater reliability. Further, the XSENS DOT platform demonstrated satisfactory levels of agreement as compared to the current clinical standard, providing confidence for its use in future studies of sleep biomechanics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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17 pages, 4151 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lumbar Kinematics Assessment of Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain in Three Bridge Tests Using Miniaturized Sensors

by Athanasios Triantafyllou, Georgios Papagiannis, Sophia Stasi, Panagiotis Gkrilias, Maria Kyriakidou, Effrosyni Kampouroglou, Apostolos-Zacharias Skouras, Charilaos Tsolakis, George Georgoudis, Olga Savvidou, Panayiotis Papagelopoulos and Panagiotis Koulouvaris

Bioengineering 2023, 10(3), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10030339 - 08 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2410

Abstract

Lumbar muscle atrophy, diminished strength, stamina, and increased fatigability have been associated with chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP). When evaluating patients with LBP, trunk or core stability, provided by the performance and coordination of trunk muscles, appears to be essential. Several clinical tests have been developed to identify deficiencies in trunk performance, demonstrating high levels of validity and reproducibility. The most frequently prescribed tests for assessing the core body muscles are the prone plank bridge test (PBT), the side bridge test (SBT), and the supine bridge test (SUBT). However, quantitative assessments of the kinematics of the lumbar spine during their execution have not yet been conducted. The purpose of our study was to provide objective biomechanical data for the assessment of LBP patients. The lumbar spine ranges of motion of 22 healthy subjects (Group A) and 25 patients diagnosed with chronic LBP (Group B) were measured using two inertial measurement units during the execution of the PBT, SUBT, and SBT. Statistically significant differences between the two groups were found in all three tests’ kinematic patterns. This quantitative assessment of lumbar spine motion transforms the three bridge tests into an objective biomechanical diagnostic tool for LPBs that may be used to assess the efficacy of applied rehabilitation programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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9 pages, 651 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pelvic Floor Pressures Differ Based on Location in the Pelvis and Body Position: A Cadaver Mode

by Tova Ablove, Alexandra DeRosa, Steven Lewis, Katelyn Benson, Frank Mendel and Scott Doyle

Bioengineering 2023, 10(3), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10030329 - 06 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1620

Abstract

Background: The pelvic floor is a bowl-shaped complex of multiple muscles and fascia, which functions to support the pelvic organs, and it aids in controlling continence. In pelvic floor disease, this complex becomes weakened or damaged leading to urinary, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. It is unclear whether the position of the body impacts the forces on the pelvic floor. Purpose: The primary objective of this work is to measure force applied to the pelvic floor of a cadaver in sitting, standing, supine, and control positions. The secondary objective is to map the forces across the pelvic floor. Methods: An un-embalmed female cadaver without pelvic floor dysfunction was prepared for pelvic floor pressure measurement using a pressure sensory array placed on top of the pelvic floor, and urodynamic catheters were placed in the hollow of the sacrum, the retropubic space, and at the vaginal apex. Pressure measurements were recorded with the cadaver in the supine position, sitting cushioned without external pelvic floor support, and standing. Pressure array data were analyzed along with imaging of the cadaver. Together, these data were mapped into a three-dimensional reconstruction of the pressure points in pelvic floor and corresponding pelvic organs. Results: pressures were higher at the symphysis than in the hollow of the sacrum in the standing position. Pressure array measurements were lowest in the standing position and highest in the sitting position. Three-dimensional reconstruction confirmed the location and accuracy of our measurements. Conclusions: The findings of increased pressures behind the symphysis are in line with the higher incidence of anterior compartment prolapse. Our findings support our hypothesis that the natural shape and orientation of the pelvis in the standing position shields the pelvic floor from downward forces of the viscera. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics-Based Motion Analysis, Volume II)

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