A transformation method to estimate muscle attachments based on three bony landmarks

In order to create musculoskeletal models that can be scalable to different subject specificities the calculation of the exact locations of muscle attachment is required. For this purpose, a scaling method is presented that estimates muscle attachment locations in homologous segments using three bony landmarks per segment. A data-set of 17 muscles' attachment lines from the shoulders of seven cadavers was used to assess the estimation quality of the scaling method. By knowing from the cadaver data the measured location of the muscles' attachment lines it is possible to assess the quality of the estimated ones. The scaling results showed an overall mean RMSE for the scapula and humerus muscles of 7.6 and 11.1 mm, respectively. These results were then analyzed with an upper extremity model, in order to compute the influence of the RMSE in glenohumeral elevation muscle moment arms in the scapular plane. The results presented were considered to be satisfactory. Among other error contributors, the inter- and intra-subject variability should be further investigated, along with the sensitivity of a biomechanical model to these error variations. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.