Biomedical subjects

Didier Staudenmann

Publications and source records attributed to Didier Staudenmann.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Effects of EMG processing on biomechanical models of muscle joint systems: sensitivity of trunk muscle moments, spinal forces, and stability.

Biomechanical models are in use to estimate parameters such as contact forces and stability at various joints. In one class of these models, surface electromyography (EMG) is used to address the problem of mechanical indeterminacy such that individual muscle activation patterns are accounted for. Unfortunately, because of the stochastical properties of EMG signals, EMG based estimates of muscle force suffer from substantial estimation errors. Recent studies have shown that improvements in muscle force estimation can be achieved through adequate EMG processing, specifically whitening and high-pass (HP) filtering of the signals. The aim of this paper is to determine the effect of such processing on outcomes of a biomechanical model of the lumbosacral joint and surrounding musculature. Goodness of fit of estimated muscle moments to net moments and also estimated joint stability significantly increased with increasing cut-off frequencies in HP filtering, whereas no effect on joint contact forces was found. Whitening resulted in moment estimations comparable to those obtained from optimal HP filtering with cut-off frequencies over 250 Hz. Moreover, compared to HP filtering, whitening led to a further increase in estimated joint-stability. Based on theoretical models and on our experimental results, we hypothesize that the processing leads to an increase in pick-up area. This then would explain the improvements from a better balance between deep and superficial motor unit contributions to the signal.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Trunk muscle activation and associated lumbar spine joint shear forces under different levels of external forward force applied to the trunk.

High anterior intervertebral shear loads could cause low back injuries and therefore the neuromuscular system may actively counteract these forces. This study investigated whether, under constant moment loading relative to L3L4, an increased externally applied forward force on the trunk results in a shift in muscle activation towards the use of muscles with more backward directed lines of action, thereby reducing the increase in total joint shear force. Twelve participants isometrically resisted forward forces, applied at several locations on the trunk, while moments were held constant relative to L3L4. Surface EMG and lumbar curvature were measured, and an EMG-driven muscle model was used to calculate compression and shear forces at all lumbar intervertebral joints. Larger externally applied forward forces resulted in a flattening of the lumbar lordosis and a slightly more backward directed muscle force. Furthermore, the overall muscle activation increased. At the T12L1 to L3L4 joint, resulting joint shear forces remained small (less than 200N) because the average muscle force pulled backward relative to those joints. However, at the L5S1 joint the average muscle force pulled the trunk forward so that the increase in muscle force with increasing externally applied forward force caused a further rise in shear force (by 102.1N, SD=104.0N), resulting in a joint shear force of 1080.1N (SD=150.4N) at 50Nm moment loading. It is concluded that the response of the neuromuscular system to shear force challenges tends to increase rather than reduce the shear loading at the lumbar joint that is subjected to the highest shear forces.

Abdomen↗

PubMed2006

Improving EMG-based muscle force estimation by using a high-density EMG grid and principal component analysis.

The accuracy of predictions of muscle force based on electromyography (EMG) is an important issue in biomechanics and kinesiology. Since human skeletal muscles show a high diversity and heterogeneity in their fiber architecture, it is difficult to properly align electrodes to the muscle fiber direction. Against this background, we analyzed the effect of different bipolar configuration directions on EMG-based force estimation. In addition, we investigated whether principal component analysis (PCA) can improve this estimation. High-density surface-EMG from the triceps brachii muscle and the extension force of the elbow were measured in 11 subjects. The root mean square difference (RMSD) between predicted and measured force was determined. We found the best bipolar configuration direction to cause a 13% lower RMSD relative to the worst direction. Optimal results were obtained with electrodes aligned with the expected main muscle fiber direction. We found that PCA reduced RMSD by about 40% compared to conventional bipolar electrodes and by about 12% compared to optimally aligned multiple bipolar electrodes. Thus, PCA contributes to the accuracy of EMG-based estimation of muscle force when using a high-density EMG grid.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2004

Towards optimal multi-channel EMG electrode configurations in muscle force estimation: a high density EMG study.

Surface EMG is an important tool in biomechanics, kinesiology and neurophysiology. In neurophysiology the concept of high-density EMG (HD-EMG), using two dimensional electrode grids, was developed for the measurement of spatiotemporal activation patterns of the underlying muscle and its motor units (MU). The aim of this paper was to determine, with the aid of a HD-EMG grid, the relative importance of a number of electrode sensor configurations for optimizing muscle force estimation. Sensor configurations are distinguished in two categories. The first category concerns dimensions: the size of a single electrode and the inter electrode distance (IED). The second category concerns the sensor's spatial distribution: the total area from which signals are obtained (collection surface) and the number of electrodes per cm(2) (collection density). Eleven subjects performed isometric arm extensions at three elbow angles and three contraction levels. Surface-EMG from the triceps brachii muscle and the external force at the wrist were measured. Compared to a single conventional bipolar electrode pair, the force estimation quality improved by about 30% when using HD-EMG. Among the sensor configurations, the collection surface alone appeared to be responsible for the major part of the EMG based force estimation quality by improving it with 25%.

Adult↗