Biomechanics of human Bioengineering

gait Juliana Uribe Pérez

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Objectives

To describe the basic components of the gait cycle

To detail the angular displacement patterns of the joints of the lower
extremity, the trunk, and the upper extremities
To describe the patterns of muscle activity that characterize normal
locomotion
To briefly consider the energetics of normal locomotion and the
implications of gait abnormalities on the efficiency of gait
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The gait cycle

Gait cycle of a single extremity: from ground contact of one foot to the
subsequent ground contact of the same foot.

A single gait cycle includes two periods of double limb support and two periods
of single limb support.
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The gait cycle

Stance (60% of gait cycle): from cheer strike to toe off
Swing: non weight bearing phase of gait

https://musculoskeletalkey.com/gait/
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The gait cycle

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Kinematics of locomotion
Temporal and distal parameters of a stride

• Stride: movement of both limbs during a gait cycle and

contains two steps.
• Step: movement of a single limb from ground contact of
one limb to ground contact of the opposite limb.
• Stride length: distance between the successive heel
contact points of the same foot. Normally, stride length
= 2 x step length.
• Cadence: rate at which a person walk, (steps /minute).
The average cadence is 100 - 115 steps/min
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Kinematics of locomotion
Angular displacements of the joints
Saggital plane
Hip

Ankle

Knee
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Kinematics of locomotion
Angular displacements of the joints
Frontal plane
Hip
Ankle

Knee
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Kinematics of locomotion
Angular displacements of the joints
Transverse plane
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Kinematics: CG trajectory

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Exercise: draw the path of CG in sagittal, coronal, and frontal plane

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Kinematics: CG trajectory

http://www.pt.ntu.edu.tw/hmchai/Biomechanics/BMclinic/LevelWalking.htm
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Kinetics of locomotion
Joint moments and reaction forces
Stance Early swing
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Kinetics of locomotion
• GRFv: vertical + anterioposterior + mediolateral components
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Kinetics of locomotion
Vertical ground reaction force
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Kinetics of locomotion
Example: anterior-posterior force and mediolateral force
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Internal moments in sagittal plane

Cadera: anterior à flexión Cadera: eje à no hay torque Cadera: posterior à extensión
Rodilla: posterior à flexión Rodilla: anterior à extensión Rodilla: anterior à extensión
Tobillo: posterior à plantiflexión Tobillo: anterior à dorsiflexión Tobillo: anterior à dorsiflexión

Músculos
estabilizadores

Respuesta a la carga Final del apoyo medio Apoyo terminal

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Kinetics of locomotion
Joint moments Internal moments at the hip, knee, and ankle in the sagittal plane
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Muscle activity during locomotion

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/440148_7

From: Perry, Gait Book.

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Muscle power
Homework: show that Power can be written as:
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Foot pressure during normal gait

❖ Although most of the plantar surface of the
The loads on the metatarsal heads
foot sustains substantial pressures during
during gait produce bending moments
the stance phase of gait, the largest
in the metatarsal bones that may
pressures are found at the heel, metatarsal
contribute to stress fractures. heads, and the great toe.
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Foot pressure during normal gait

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Methods
Goniometer
Pressure insole or Force platform
platform

http://www.biomec.com.co/Laboratorio-de-Marcha-
Portatil

www.siafa.com.ar

http://www.elsevier.es/es-revista-fisioterapia-146-articulo-efecto-inmediato-
kinesio-tape-respuesta-refleja-vasto-90000161
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Application: exoskeleton
Goal: to estimate users'
muscular efforts accurately
using joint torque sensor
which contains the
measurements of dynamic
effect of human body.

Experiments were carried out on a wheelchair-

integrated lower limb exoskeleton, EXOwheel, which
was equipped with torque sensors in the hip and knee
joints.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4431254/pdf/sensors-15-08337.pdf
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Application: exoskeleton
For a human lower extremity wearing an exoskeletal robot, authors considered a two-segmental
model in the sagittal plane.

• The model consists of two rigid segments (thigh and lower

leg) and two pin joints (hip and knee).
• Each segment of the model is defined by:
- L: length
- m: mass
- a: position of CM in the direction parallel to the link
- b: position of CM in the direction perpendicular to the link
- Moment of inertia (Iz).

Assumptions:
ü The human leg consists of rigid segments, and each segment is connected
with a fixed hinge joint.
ü The human leg is rigidly linked to the exoskeletal robot, and both systems
have the same kinematics.
ü The model only considers motion in the sagittal plane. The shank and
foot are treated as one rigid segment.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4431254/pdf/sensors-15-08337.pdf
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Application: exoskeleton

The footplate of the exoskeleton is equipped with two

foot switches based on resistive sensors, which binary
detect the contact between subject’s foot and the
ground. These sensors are located under the heel and
the toe, and their main goal is to detect the different
phases during gait segmentation.
https://jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12984-015-0048-y
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Application: exoskeleton

More about exoskeletons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_zQWnbqDy4