Biomechanics Commons^™

Mechanical Characterization And Modeling Of Rat Myocardia Under The Influence Of Epirubicin, Abdallah Mahmoud Alkhaiyat

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer remains a predominant health challenge that is responsible for a significant portion of global morbidity and mortality. Epirubicin (EPI), a chemotherapeutic anti-cancer drug, has shown remarkable efficacy in combating various malignancies. However, it is known to have undesirable side effects on the heart, collectively referred to as cardiotoxicity. This research investigates the adverse effects of chemotherapy on cardiac contractility through an in vitro examination of the mechanics of healthy and infarcted animal heart tissues. Electrically stimulated slices of rat ventricular tissue were tested using an isometric force measurement tissue bath. The tissue slices were subjected to uniaxial stretching, allowing …

Validation And Efficacy Of A Novel External Ankle Support Device For The Prevention Of Lateral Ankle Sprains, Sally Kennon Barfield

Theses and Dissertations

Ankle sprains are a common injury in sports and in life and can lead to debilitating consequences if not managed properly. Current prevention methods are limited to bracing or taping of the ankle. While these methods have been shown to help in mitigation of ankle sprains, associated issues such as performance decrements and discomfort have been noted in the currently available literature. The BetterGuards is a novel external ankle support that has been touted as the key to the issues presented by more traditional prevention methods. The purpose of this study was to determine both the effectiveness of the BetterGuards …

Comparative Assessment Of Lower Limb Neuromusculoskeletal Activation And Joint Kinematics In Normal And Impaired Gait, Jack Ryan Schule

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates whether accessible and affordable technologies can provide clinically significant, quantifiable gait analysis comparable to traditional marker-based motion capture systems. Modern high-end systems offer excellent accuracy but remain financially and logistically inaccessible to many clinicians and researchers. To address this gap, a framework was developed using markerless pose estimation using the model, MediaPipe, inertial measurement units (IMUs) processed through an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), and surface electromyography (sEMG) to measure joint kinematics and neuromuscular activity during gait. An experiment was performed where data was collected from participants with both normal gait and pathologies including: Osgood–Schlatter disease, Plica Band …

Computational And Experimental Analysis Of Knee Kinematics And Gait Variability: The Effects Of Load, Speed, And Fatigue On Human Motion, Alfirio Trejo Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the biomechanical behavior of the human knee under varying conditions of motion, load, and fatigue, with a focus on clinical angle analysis and gait stability. Four studies were conducted using motion capture data and a modified Grood and Suntay Joint Coordinate System (JCS) to evaluate knee joint kinematics—specifically flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, and internal-external rotation. The first study examined the effects of incremental weight loads during isolated knee extension exercises, revealing dose-dependent increases in abduction and internal rotation that may contribute to joint stress. The second study assessed the impact of walking speed and asymmetric loading on gait, showing …

Biomechanics Of Softball Pitching And The Relationship Between Functional Field Tests And Pitching Performance, Joshua Spencer Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Over 2 million people in the United States play softball alone, yet softball literature in exercise science and biomechanics is still sparse. Research that exists for softball pitching has focused on injury mechanisms and prevention, with a small portion of the literature reporting on performance. Studies have reported evidence suggesting that vertical ground reaction forces of the stride leg are related to pitch velocity. However, no studies have investigated the role of the stride leg during the initial launch phase of the pitch. Research has investigated kinematics such as pelvic and thoracic rotation during the pitch, but no research has …

Lower Extremity Individual Muscle Forces In Females During Loaded Hex-Bar Squat Jumps, Jadon Konkel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the individual muscle forces and contributions to extensor force occurring during the propulsive phase of unloaded jumps in females and explore how these are influenced by increasing loads using the hex bar modality. Ten, college-aged females (height: 1.66 ± 0.09 m; weight: 68.63 ± 9.66 kg) with weightlifting experience performed hexagonal bar squat jumps at bodyweight (BW), BW+20% and BW+40% of 1RM. Traditional motion capture techniques were employed to collect dominate lower limb kinematics and kinetics. Individual muscle forces were estimated utilizing Static Optimization in OpenSim using a Gait2392 musculoskeletal model. Muscle …

Exploring The Relationship Of Intact Limb Knee Joint Loading With Step Lengths And Step Length Symmetry In Individuals With Lower Limb Amputation, Edward D. Syrett

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with unilateral lower limb amputation (LLA) frequently experience intact limb knee pain, dysfunction, and osteoarthritis. These problems can worsen pre-existing reductions in mobility and quality of life that this population regularly experiences. It is widely accepted that knee joint loading is implicated in the development of knee joint issues, and intact limb knee joint load alterations are thought to be widespread in individuals with LLA. Prior work suggests that gait deviations frequently present in this population may be a contributory cause of these altered forces. These deviations can take many forms, but individuals with LLA commonly demonstrate alterations in …

A Comparison Of Ground Reaction Forces And Muscle Activity Of The Tsunami Bar® Against A Rigid Barbell During Back Squat Phases, John Carver Middleton

Theses and Dissertations

An Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved study was conducted to investigate the effects of the Tsunami Bar® (TB), a flexible barbell, on ground reaction force (GRF) production and muscle activity in the quadricep, hamstring, and gluteal muscle groups during phases of the squat exercise and compare the effects to the effects to using a rigid barbell (RB). A two-by-two repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was used to compare the results. Descriptive statistics showed significantly higher GRFs for the TB during the unweighting phase, significant differences in GRFs between speeds for each phase, significantly higher forces on average with the …

A Biomechanical Approach To Prevent Falls In Ergonomic Settings, Sachini Kodithuwakku Arachchige

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Fall-related injuries are exceptionally prevalent in occupational settings. While endangering the workers’ health, falls cause poor productivity and increased economic burden in the workplace. Hence, identifying these threats and training workers to achieve proper postural control is crucial. Purpose: Study 1: To investigate the ankle joint kinematics in unexpected and expected trip responses during single-tasking (ST), dual-tasking (DT), and triple-tasking (TT), before and after a physically fatiguing exercise. Study 2: To investigate the impact of virtual heights, DT, and training on static postural stability and cognitive processing. Methods: Study 1: Twenty collegiate volunteers (10 males and females, one left …

Electromechanical Fatigue Properties Of Dielectric Elastomer Stretch Sensors Under Orthopaedic Loading Conditions, Andrea Karen Persons

Theses and Dissertations

Fatigue testing of stretch sensors often focuses on high amplitude, low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior; however, when used for orthopaedic, athletic, or ergonomic assessments, stretch sensors are subjected to low amplitude, high-cycle fatigue (HCF) conditions. As an added layer of complexity, the fatigue testing of stretch sensors is not only focused on the life of the material comprising the sensor, but also on the reliability of the signal produced during the extension and relaxation of the sensor. Research into the development of a smart sock that can be used to measure the range of motion (ROM) of the ankle joint during …

Biomechanical Evaluation Of Functional Ability And Postural Stability In Patients With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Disorder, Safi Ullah

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a very common disease most prevalent in people with type-II diabetes. DPN is caused by high blood glucose levels that instigates nerve damage which results in sensation loss mainly in the lower extremities. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore into the motor disability resulting from DPN disorder by investigating into the muscle activation patterns, force output in lower extremity muscles, the onset of muscle fatigue and most importantly evaluating the postural stability in DPN patients and comparing the results to healthy control subjects. We hypothesize that the DPN patients suffer …

The Correlation Between Ankle Proprioception And Lower Extremity Muscle Reactions In Response To Simulated Lateral Ankle Sprains, Erin M. Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Lateral ankle sprains are one of the most commonly occurring sport-related injuries. The somatosensory system is primarily responsible for monitoring the position of the joints in space during movement. This system functions by way of neurological structures that provide proprioceptive and neuromuscular input to the brain. Motor control of the lower extremity relies on proprioceptive input to the central nervous system (CNS) and local neuromuscular control of each joint to produce coordinated, global muscular responses to external events. Previous research has investigated links between proprioception and neuromuscular control in relationship to ankle inversion separately, but none have searched for …

Biomechanical Assessment Of The Lower Extremity Following An Unexpected Ankle Perturbation, Emilia Gladys Schempp

Theses and Dissertations

A deeper understanding of the response to an unexpected ankle perturbation could help provide insight into ankle sprain injury avoidance strategies. This study compared lower extremity electromyographic and kinematic measures between unexpected ankle perturbation and normal walking conditions, including muscle amplitudes and reaction times, dominant limb joint angles and velocities. Trial conditions included a walking control condition, unexpected 30° inversion, and unexpected 18° combined inversion and plantarflexion. With randomized trials, 20 healthy volunteers walked along the custom-built walkway that unexpectedly released into the described ankle perturbations. Significant differences were found for peak and average EMG of the peroneus longus and …

The Effect Of Load On The Kinetics And Kinematics Of The Lower Extremity During Landing, Michael Akira Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To understand the differences in the lower extremity kinetics and kinematics as load increases during jump landings. Methods: Ten male participants (20.4 years ± 2.41 years, 108.8kg ± 14.02kg) took part in two testing sessions. The first testing session involved testing each participant’s 1-repetition max in the hexagonal barbell deadlift. The second testing session involved the data collection of the jumping trials for each participant. Participants performed their countermovement jumps under seven randomized conditions. Six of the conditions involved the hex bar using loads equivalent to 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60% estimated 1-repetition max of the hexagonal …

Modeling Individual Muscle Forces In The Lower Extremity During Loaded And Unloaded Hexbar Vertical Jumps, Abigail Salvadore

Theses and Dissertations

Hexagonal barbell (HB) loaded jumps are often used in training to increase lower extremity power. Given the importance of coordinated muscular effort in achieving maximal power output, an understanding of how the lower extremity musculature individually performs during loaded jumps would be advantageous. The purpose of this study is to describe the effect of load on individual muscle forces, muscle torques, and the contribution to the net joint moment (NJM) during the concentric phase of loaded HB jumps.10 male collegiate athletes performed 5 maximal HB jumps at 0%, 20%, 40% and 60% of their HB deadlift 1-repetition maximum. Filtered Ground …

Effects Of Caffeine Gum On Muscular Strength And Power In Recreationally Active Females, Lindsay D. Montgomery

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that a moderate dose of caffeine may enhance muscular strength and power, particularly in males. Less is known on caffeine’s impact on muscular performance in females. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 200 mg dose caffeine gum on muscular strength and muscular power in recreationally active females. Nineteen women participated in 3 laboratory sessions, the first being the familiarization trial. During the next two visits, the participants were given either 200 mg of caffeine gum or a placebo gum, rested for 15 minutes, completed a 10 minute warm-up, then performed performance testing …

Developing And Comparing Sensor For Movement Analysis And Biofeedback, Umaiyaal Vasudevaraja

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Recent advances in the field of wearable technology are now at a peak in the sports field and the medical field. The validity, reliability, and application of such systems are still under research and yet to be revealed.

Purpose: This study aims to design and constructing the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) hardware with the required software to collect accelerometer data for potential use in human movement studies and test the efficacy of the collected IMU accelerometer data by comparing it with the motion capture data.

Methods: In this study, the IMU sensor is coupled with the Arduino, loaded with …

Muscle Synergy Adaptation During A Novel Postural Stabilization Task, Rajat Emanuel Singh

Theses and Dissertations

Background: In human postural studies, it is believed that low dimensional motor modules are combined to simplify the movement. These lower dimensional modules are termed as muscle synergies (MS). Therefore, understanding MS evoked by postural perturbation may provide us the specific muscle co-activation pattern for stability. Research Aim: The scope of our study is to identify synergies associated with postural stability while walking on a perturbing platform and study the effect of different proficiency levels on their size and structure. Methodology: We asked nine human participants to walk overground and on a slackline to study task-specific modulation of synergy structures. …

Effects Of Attentional Focus Cues On Soccer Trap Kinematics And Performance, Ladule Lako Losarah

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this research was to assess how the kinematic performance of an inside of the foot soccer ball control movement changed with an internal, external, or holistic attentional focus coaching cue. The researchers used pendulum catapult to launch a soccer ball from 8.5 meters at the participant. Ten female active NCAA division 1 soccer players received one of three cues, or no cue, and then had five trials to control the ball onto an artificial turf mat to score 1-3 points depending on where the ball landed. Participants completed a manipulation check survey to ascertain the efficacy …

Differences In Lower Limb Kinetics In College Age Female Gymnasts To Coaches’ Perceived Efficiency In A Specific Counter Movement Jump Technique, Stephen Christopher Avgerinos

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the results of a quantitative research project which examined kinetics of female collegiate gymnasts aged 18 to 21 performing a ‘punching’ counter-movement jump (CMJ) technique that is taught and required for exemplar scoring during NCAA competition. Twelve female gymnasts were recruited from the competitive team at Illinois State University. Participation was voluntary and athletes were not compensated. Each gymnast performed 8 punch-CMJ trials without coaching instruction except to perform a punching CMJ. The method of performing this CMJ began by stepping off from a 33 cm elevation, ‘punching’ off the force plates, and finishing with a landing …

Comparison Of Clinician Assisted Versus Unassisted Pnf Stretching On Hamstring Flexibility, Isometric Force Output, And Maximum Vertical Jump Height, Joel T. Lockhart

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Hamstring strains are among one of the most common acute injuries that occur in soccer players. Previous research has shown that reduced hamstring flexibility is a risk factor for injury, however this is modifiable through stretching. Some stretching techniques have contributed to decreased performance on measures important to success in sport. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) is one effective stretching technique to improve hamstring flexibility, but requires a trained partner or clinician to perform properly. It is unknown if the performance of PNF stretching without a clinician’s assistance could be as effective. It is also unknown if PNF stretching affects …

The Effects Of Trx Suspension Training On An Asymmetrical Weight Shift During A Double-Leg Squat, Samantha J. Shruck

Theses and Dissertations

Context: It is estimated that 54% of all sport related injuries are to the lower extremity, specifically the knee and ankle. Following injury, many individuals demonstrate an asymmetrical weight shift during a double-leg squat, which may increase risk of further injury. Asymmetries are driven by a variety of factors including range of motion and neuromuscular control. The goal of rehabilitation is to identify asymmetrical movement and utilize evidence-based techniques to retrain deficient movement patterns. The double-leg squat is a reliable movement task to identify asymmetrical weight shifts. Based on the theory and purpose of suspension training (TRX), it may be …

Range Of Motion And Plantar Foot Pressures In Those With And Without A Lateral Hip Shift During An Overhead Squat, Erin M. Lally

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Asymmetrical loading between lower limbs can theoretically be explained as an inequality of strength, neuromuscular control, or subconscious reliance on one leg more than the other. Asymmetries are often identified utilizing costly equipment such as force plates and 3D motion analysis cameras. It is important to establish less costly ways of identifying movement and loading asymmetries for clinicians to utilize. One qualitative assessment that may identify asymmetries is a ‘lateral hip shift’ during an overhead squat. Objective: To identify differences in lower extremity range of motion (ROM) and plantar foot pressures in individuals with and without a lateral hip …

The Effects Of Opedix < Sup > Tm < / Sup > Knee Support System, Philip Mathew

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Knee supports are often employed to decrease adductor angle and/or adductor moment and thus medial knee joint loading in persons with medial knee osteoarthritis. It is compelling that these gait alterations would also be considered beneficial in healthy individuals from a prophylactic application. While the Opedix product was designed specifically as a knee support system, in the present study lower extremity kinematic chain with emphasis on hip and knee were investigated.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test Opedix garments and describe the changes in sagittal (X), frontal (Y), and transverse (Z) planes for both kinematic and …

The Effects Of A Foot-Toe Orthosis On Dynamic Balance And Hallux Valgus Angle, Adam Richard Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Decreased balance has been identified as a risk factor for lower extremity injury in several populations. Previous literature has investigated the effects of using orthotics, textured insoles and textured surfaces on balance. However, no research exists on the effects of a foot-toe orthosis on dynamic balance. Objective: To determine the effects of a foot-toe orthosis on dynamic balance and hallux valgus angle. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Setting: Athletic Training research laboratory. Participants: Sixty-three healthy and recreationally active collegiate students. (age: 21.59±1.49yrs, height 172.48±8.99cm, mass 73.86kg±15.64kg) Interventions: Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups that received either …

Transport, Deposition, And Hygroscopic Growth Of Diverse-Regime Aerosols In Human Respiratory Airways Of Varying Ages, Jongwon Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Determining how many inhaled aerosols deposit in human respiratory airways and where they deposit (i.e., respiratory dosimetry) are of critical importance in a number of fields. Applications of respiratory dosimetry modeling include evaluating health effects of inhaled pollutants, establishing environmental exposure standards, and developing effective techniques for delivering pharmaceutical aerosols to the lung. However, the manifold characteristics of aerosols coupled with the complexity of respiratory tract make such analysis a challenging task as well as a highly multidisciplinary effort, entailing expertise from medicine, engineering, and physiology. In this study, three major factors that affect particle transport and depositions were systematically …

Correlation Of Shoulder And Elbow Kinetics With Ball Velocity In College Baseball Pitchers, Eric Post

Theses and Dissertations

Specific injuries at the elbow and glenohumeral joints have been linked to several kinetic variables that occur throughout the throwing motion. Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) sprains have been linked to excessive elbow valgus and shoulder external rotation torques occurring during the late-cocking phase of throwing. Shoulder external rotation torque during the late arm-cocking phase and shoulder distraction forces during the deceleration phase contribute to tears of the labrum. Additionally, it is believed that the peak distraction force generated during the arm deceleration phase also contributes to SLAP tears and rotator cuff pathologies. Very little research has been done to directly …

Statistical Approach To The Characterization And Recognition Of Human Gaits, Derrick M. Chelliah

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the final portion of a complete process for human gait recognition. The thesis takes as input information that has been generated from videotaping walking individuals and converting their gaits into numerical data that measures the locations of various points on the body through time. Beginning with this data, this thesis uses a variety of mathematical and statistical methods to create identifying signatures for each individual and identify them on the basis of that signature. The end goal is to achieve under controlled laboratory conditions human gait recognition, an identification method which does not require contact or cooperation …

Statistical Approach To Background Subtraction For Production Of High-Quality Silhouettes For Human Gait Recognition, Jennifer J. Samler

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses a background subtraction to produce high-quality silhouettes for use in human identification by human gait recognition, an identification method which does not require contact with an individual and which can be done from a distance. A statistical method which reduces the noise level is employed resulting in cleaner silhouettes which facilitate identification. The thesis starts with gathering video data of individuals walking normally across a background scene. From there the video is converted into a sequence of images that are stored as joint photographic experts group (jpeg) files. The background is subtracted from each image using a …