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In vivo stiffness measurement and in silico stiffness prediction of biceps brachii muscle using an isometric contraction exercise

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Abstract

Cadavers are often used to measure the material properties of muscle via the static tensile loading test. However, the mechanical properties of the cadaver are different from that of in vivo muscle. In this work, a new way to measure the stiffness of in vivo muscle was proposed based on a vibration test combined with measured electromyography (EMG) signals. The stiffness of the biceps brachii muscle during isometric contractions with various weights (0 - 11 kg) was measured from the vibration test utilizing support properties of a spring attached to a mass. The relationship between the load level, the EMG signal, and the muscle stiffness was investigated and a multiple- spring model for biceps brachii muscle was newly suggested. Also, simulation using a commercial bio-mechanics simulation software (LifeMOD) was conducted to verify the developed muscle spring model and the measured stiffness of the in vivo muscle. The in vivo stiffness of the biceps brachii measured experimentally agreed well with the simulation result.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-791, Korea

    Wan-Ho Chung, Dong-Ki Min, Hyun-Jun Hwang, Jun-Hong Park & Hak-Sung Kim

  2. Agency for Defense Development, Bugyuseong daero, 488 beon gil, Yuseong, Daejeon, 305-152, Korea

    Jong-Kwang Lim

  3. Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, Korea

    Hak-Sung Kim

Authors
  1. Wan-Ho Chung
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  2. Dong-Ki Min
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  3. Hyun-Jun Hwang
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  4. Jong-Kwang Lim
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  5. Jun-Hong Park
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  6. Hak-Sung Kim
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jun-Hong Park or Hak-Sung Kim.

Additional information

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Recommended by Associate Editor Yoon Hyuk Kim

Wan-Ho Chung received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Hanyang University in 2012.

Dong-Ki Min received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Hanyang University in 2009.

Jun-Hong Park received his B.S. degree in production engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in 1991 and his M.S. degree in precision engineering and mechatronics from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in 1993. He received his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from the Purdue University, West Lafayette, Missouri-Rolla, USA, in 2002.

Hak-Sung Kim received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in 2001 and his M.S. degree from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in 2003. He received his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in 2006.

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Chung, WH., Min, DK., Hwang, HJ. et al. In vivo stiffness measurement and in silico stiffness prediction of biceps brachii muscle using an isometric contraction exercise. J Mech Sci Technol 30, 2881–2889 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-0547-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-0547-1

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