Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lauren Welte, Nicholas B. Holowka, Luke A. Kelly, Anton Arndt, Michael J. Rainbow
Summary: Developing the ability to habitually walk and run upright on two feet is one of the most significant transformations in human evolution. The foot's arched structure plays a central role in propelling the center of mass and enabling upright ankle posture. Arch recoil, primarily controlled by the navicular-medial cuneiform joint, allows for longer contact time and favorable propulsive conditions. Understanding the mechanism of arch recoil may provide new insights into the fossil record and suggest interventions to maintain natural ankle propulsion.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Luke N. Jessup, Luke A. Kelly, Andrew G. Cresswell, Glen A. Lichtwark
Summary: Many models have been developed to predict metabolic energy expenditure based on biomechanical proxies of muscle function. However, these models have not been rigorously tested across various locomotion tasks and have not adequately characterized different forms of locomotion. In this study, frequency and height constraints were imposed on hopping, and the effects on metabolic power and muscle function were evaluated. The results showed that a decrease in hop frequency and an increase in hop height led to an increase in metabolic power, which could be explained by changes in muscle activation and work requirements.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Katherine A. J. Daniels, J. F. Burn
Summary: This study demonstrates that the principle of energy optimality in human locomotion can be applied to complex task-level locomotor behaviors. The selection of locomotor strategies is predicted by the relative energy cost integrated across the complete multi-step task. Vision-based remote sensing alone is sufficient to predict the strategy with the lowest prospective energy cost in advance of obstacle encounter. This research highlights the integrative optimizations necessary for energetically efficient locomotion and proposes a new behavioral level that can be used to explore locomotor control and decision-making.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Stephen P. Allen, Owen N. Beck, Alena M. Grabowski
Summary: The volume of active muscle and duration of extensor muscle force have a significant impact on the associated metabolic energy expenditure, especially at different step frequencies. Taking into account the changes in effective mechanical advantage (EMA) and muscle volume, the study found a better correlation with metabolic energy expenditure during different step frequencies.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Vivian L. Rose, Christopher J. Arellano
Summary: The mechanics of walking in 5-6 year old children are fundamentally distinct from adults, leading to higher net cost of transport. Children utilize different mechanisms in step-to-step transitions and single support compared to adults.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Robin Thandiackal, Carl H. White, Hilary Bart-Smith, George V. Lauder
Summary: Research showed that during linear accelerations in fast-swimming fish, the head generates net drag while the posterior body generates significant thrust, revealing an additional propulsion mechanism beyond the lift-based caudal fin.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Barbara Grant, James Charles, Brendan Geraghty, James Gardiner, Kristiaan D'Aout, Peter L. Falkingham, Karl T. Bates
Summary: This study reveals that the mechanisms contributing to increased energy expenditure on compliant substrates during walking are more complex than previously thought. By analyzing a large dataset and conducting mechanical testing, the researchers propose that increased activity and mechanical work of muscles crossing the hip and knee joints are required to support the changes in joint and spatio-temporal kinematics on compliant substrates.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2022)
Review
Biology
Christofer J. Clemente, Taylor J. M. Dick
Summary: Body mass is a fundamental characteristic of animals that impacts their life history and biology. Physics limits biological processes and affects how animals interact with their environment. Scaling helps us understand why elephants have modified body proportions and locomotor style to mitigate the consequences of their large size.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Delyle T. Polet, John R. Hutchinson
Summary: Using a biomechanical model and trajectory optimization, the study simulated and compared the gaits of domestic dogs and the extinct clade Batrachotomus kupferzellensis. Gait transitions were identified at different speeds, showing differences in track phase alignment with fossil trackways.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Sarah J. Kerr, Frank E. Fish, Anthony J. Nicastro, Jenifer A. Zeligs, Stephanie Skrovan, Megan C. Leftwich
Summary: This study compared the terrestrial locomotion of otariids and phocids and found that otariids, such as California sea lions, have lower energetic costs and higher efficiency compared to phocids, indicating that they are an intermediate species between terrestrial mammals and phocids.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Clarissa S. Whiting, Wouter Hoogkamer, Rodger Kram
Summary: Compared to conventional racing shoes, Nike Vaporfly 4% running shoes can reduce the metabolic cost in level, uphill, and downhill running. However, the savings provided during uphill running are relatively smaller.
JOURNAL OF SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nikolaos Papachatzis, Dustin R. Slivka, Iraklis I. Pipinos, Kendra K. Schmid, Kota Z. Takahashi
Summary: This study investigated the correlation between energy dissipation and thermal responses in the heel during increased collisional forces. The results showed that walking with added mass increased the heel's temperature and net-negative work, but there was no direct correlation between them. This suggests that the heel has dynamic thermoregulatory capacity and other mechanisms may influence heat dissipation.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Robert J. Courter, Enrique Alvarez, Roger M. Enoka, Alaa A. Ahmed
Summary: Movement slowness is a common and disruptive symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). This study found that the metabolic costs of walking were significantly higher for individuals with MS, while there were no differences in the metabolic costs of arm-reaching movements. These results suggest that movement slowness in MS may be influenced by other sensorimotor mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Daisey Vega, Christopher J. Arellano
Summary: The study introduced a rope-pulley system to connect the arms and legs physically during walking, reducing the muscular and mechanical demands on the legs for impaired patients.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Wannes Swinnen, Wouter Hoogkamer, Friedl De Groote, Benedicte Vanwanseele
Summary: A century ago, Fenn found that faster muscle contractions lead to more energy liberation. However, the evidence for isometric muscle contractions being energetically cheaper than concentric contractions is mainly based on single fiber or isolated muscle studies. This study aimed to investigate whether this holds true for whole body metabolic rate by changing the contraction velocity of ankle plantar flexors.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Cyril J. Donnelly, Chris Jackson, Gillian Weir, Jacqueline Alderson, Mark A. Robinson
Summary: This study investigated the impact of prescribing participant-specific joint coordinates during model preparation on the agreement of inverse kinematic derived lower limb kinematics in OpenSim. The results suggest that prescribing participant-specific joint coordinates improves the agreement between IK models and established DK models.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND MEDICINE IN SPORT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
William R. Johnson, Ajmal Mian, Mark A. Robinson, Jasper Verheul, David G. Lloyd, Jacqueline A. Alderson
Summary: The study demonstrates that kinematic data obtained from wearable sensor accelerometers, combined with deep learning techniques, can predict ground reaction forces and moments during motion. While the range of results was disappointing, the best-case correlations indicate the feasibility of the approach and suggest potential for improvement in accurately estimating near real-time on-field GRF/M.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Shina Leow, Natalya J. Beer, James A. Dimmock, Ben Jackson, Jacqueline A. Alderson, Michael W. Clarke, Kym J. Guelfi
Summary: This study found that engaging in acute exercise or being exposed to acute stress does not affect subsequent food intake, despite transient alterations in the hunger hormone ghrelin when exercise is performed prior to stress.
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Cyril J. Donnelly, Gillian Weir, Chris Jackson, Jacqueline Alderson, Radin Rafeeuddin, Raihana Sharir, Jos Vanrenterghem, Mark A. Robinson
Summary: This research aimed to evaluate the inter-laboratory equivalence of time-varying unplanned kinematics and kinetics between motion capture labs in the UK and Australia. The study found that consistent joint kinematic and moment estimates could be obtained between laboratories, supporting equivalence. This has implications for data sharing and multi-center trials.
SPORTS BIOMECHANICS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Suzanne M. Cox, Adam DeBoef, Matthew Q. Salzano, Kavya Katugam, Stephen J. Piazza, Jonas Rubenson
Summary: The study investigated whether altering work and power generation during maturation affects the morphology of the elastic system in guinea fowl. The results showed that changes in jump power and work did not significantly impact the components of the elastic system, with energy storage capacity being most sensitive to muscle properties. This suggests that the gastrocnemius elastic system in guinea fowl does not exhibit plastic response to decreased demand during growth, with neural plasticity possibly explaining performance variation.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Daniel S. Cottam, Amity C. Campbell, Paul C. Davey, Peter Kent, Bruce C. Elliott, Jacqueline A. Alderson
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the influence of MIMU functional calibration on thorax and lumbar joint angles during sport-specific tasks. The results showed that functional calibration may not be necessary for measuring these joint angles.
MEDICAL & BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING & COMPUTING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Marion Mundt, William R. Johnson, Wolfgang Potthast, Bernd Markert, Ajmal Mian, Jacqueline Alderson
Summary: This paper compares the performance of three commonly employed ANNs used to predict gait kinetics and kinematics from IMUs. Although all investigated ANNs showed high correlations between ground truth and predicted data, the optimal ANN should be chosen based on the prediction task and intended use-case application.
Article
Neurosciences
Daniel S. Cottam, Amity C. Campbell, Paul C. Davey, Peter Kent, Bruce C. Elliott, Jacqueline A. Alderson
Summary: This study assessed the concurrent validity of two commercial MIMU systems during high-speed, multi-planar movements. The results showed that the accuracy of MIMU angle measurements is poorer in these movements, and there are differences between different MIMU systems in the measurements.
Article
Sport Sciences
Sean Byrne, Brendan Lay, Jonathan Staynor, Jacqueline Alderson, Cyril J. Donnelly
Summary: This study investigated the kinematic differences between the penultimate and ultimate steps of planned and unplanned sidestepping. The results suggest that the preparatory reorientation strategies are likely constrained by the amount of planning time available.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Robotics
Jonas Rubenson, Gregory S. Sawicki
Summary: Recapitulating avian locomotion provides a simple and economical approach for controlling legged robots without sensory feedback systems.
Article
Sport Sciences
Daniel J. Glassbrook, Joel T. Fuller, Jacqueline A. Alderson, Jodie A. Wills, Tim L. A. Doyle
Summary: The study investigated the behavior of physiological load measures, ground reaction forces, and acceleration load during a prolonged running task that simulated the running demands of an intermittent team sport. The results showed that running had a significant impact on the external mechanical load in the upper body, which could be effectively measured by area under the curve (AUC).
JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
J. Nicholas, G. Weir, J. A. Alderson, J. H. Stubbe, R. M. van Rijn, J. A. Dimmock, B. Jackson, C. J. Donnelly
Summary: This study aimed to describe the incidence, mechanisms, and characteristics of injuries in pole dancers. The findings indicate that pole dancers are at high risk for injuries, with the shoulder and hamstring being the most commonly reported injury sites.
MEDICAL PROBLEMS OF PERFORMING ARTISTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Marion Mundt, Henrike Oberlack, Molly Goldacre, Julia Powles, Johannes Funken, Corey Morris, Wolfgang Potthast, Jacqueline Alderson
Summary: This study proposes and validates a method to synthesize 2D video frames from historic 3D motion data, and demonstrates its utility in human pose estimation and ground reaction force estimation tasks, showing improved accuracy by enlarging the dataset with synthetic views.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Marion Mundt, Zachery Born, Molly Goldacre, Jacqueline Alderson
Summary: The adoption of computer vision pose estimation approaches for biomechanical modeling has gained traction. This study investigated the keypoint detection rate of three open-source pose estimation models across different movements and camera views, and assessed the interchangeability of keypoints for estimating ground reaction forces. The findings showed that AlphaPose and OpenPose keypoints could be used interchangeably, while BlazePose had a lower detection rate.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Shina Leow, Natalya J. Beer, Kym J. Guelfi, Amanda L. Rebar, Jacqueline A. Alderson, Ben Jackson, James A. Dimmock
Summary: This study found that perceived tension is positively associated with food cravings and consumption, with individuals experiencing greater cravings for sweets and fast foods, as well as consuming more carbohydrates/starches on days when they feel more tension. Individuals with higher tension levels had more cravings for sweets and fast foods, and reported consuming more sweet and fast foods.