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Consistency Among Musculoskeletal Models: Caveat Utilitor

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A Commentary to this article was published on 07 November 2014

Abstract

Musculoskeletal simulation software and model repositories have broadened the user base able to perform musculoskeletal analysis and have facilitated in the sharing of models. As the recognition of musculoskeletal modeling continues to grow as an engineering discipline, the consistency in results derived from different models and software is becoming more critical. The purpose of this study was to compare eight models from three software packages and evaluate differences in quadriceps moment arms, predicted muscle forces, and predicted tibiofemoral contact forces for an idealized knee-extension task spanning −125 to +10° of knee extension. Substantial variation among models was observed for the majority of aspects evaluated. Differences among models were influenced by knee angle, with better agreement of moment arms and tibiofemoral joint contact force occurring at low to moderate knee flexion angles. The results suggest a lack of consistency among models and that output differences are not simply an artifact of naturally occurring inter-individual differences. Although generic musculoskeletal models can easily be scaled to consistent limb lengths and use the same muscle recruitment algorithm, the results suggest those are not sufficient conditions to produce consistent muscle or joint contact forces, even for simplified models with no potential of co-contraction.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this work was provided by the Dept of Veterans Affairs, Rehab R&D (Proj. A6816R) and by the Paralyzed Veterans of America Endowment for Spinal Cord Injury at Stanford University.

Conflict of interest

Matthew S. DeMers collaborated on the development of the Steele 2012 model evaluated in this manuscript. James M. Shippen is the primary developer of the Biomechanics of Bodies software used in this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Tissue Regeneration, Repair, and Restoration, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, 3801 Miranda Ave., Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA

    David W. Wagner & Gary S. Beaupre

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Vahagn Stepanyan, Matthew S. DeMers & Gary S. Beaupre

  3. Industrial Design, Coventry University, Worcestershire, UK

    James M. Shippen

  4. School of Sport and Education, Brunel University, Middlesex, UK

    Robin S. Gibbons

  5. Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK

    Brian J. Andrews

  6. Spinal Cord Injury Service, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Graham H. Creasey

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  1. David W. Wagner
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Correspondence to David W. Wagner.

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Associate Editor Thurmon E. Lockhart oversaw the review of this article.

A comment to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10439-014-1153-y.

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Table 7 Musculoskeletal software and model download locations
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Wagner, D.W., Stepanyan, V., Shippen, J.M. et al. Consistency Among Musculoskeletal Models: Caveat Utilitor. Ann Biomed Eng 41, 1787–1799 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-013-0843-1

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