ESTIMATED MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF SYNERGISTIC MUSCLES INVOLVED IN MOVEMENTS OF A VARIETY OF HUMAN JOINTS

One of the most challenging aspects of biomechanical modeling is parameter estimation. Parameter values that define the nonlinear relations within the classic hill-based muscle model structure have been estimated for a large number of muscles involved in movemenets of a number of joints. The technique used to estimate these parameters is based on combining information on muscle as a material with geometrical data on muscle-joint anatomy. The resulting relations are compatible with available human experimental data and with past-modeling estimates. An estimation of the relative importance of the various synergistic muscle properties during dynamic movement tasks is also provided, aided by examples of muscle load-sharing as a function of optimization criteria including measures of position error, muscle stress and neural effort.