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Sharing the load: modeling loads in OpenSim to simulate two-handed lifting

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Abstract

Static Optimization (SO) procedures are commonly used to estimate muscle forces and joint loads from kinematics and external force data. The method of modeling hand–mass interaction during lifting tasks may affect the kinematics and/or external forces applied to the model, yet the extent to which different modeling decisions affect the estimated spinal joint loads is unknown. The present work compares five hand–mass interaction modeling approaches that differ in the complexity of implementation and runtime for the kinematic and SO analyses during two-handed lifting tasks. Intraclass correlation coefficients demonstrated strong agreement among the modeling approaches for the prediction of both maximum and average L5S1 resultant forces across all tasks. However, the five modeling approaches resulted in maximum relative differences in the L5S1 resultant force of up to 35% (2.6 kN). To compare the accuracy of each modeling approach, the resulting dynamic inconsistencies (i.e., residual forces and moments) were evaluated. The approach that resulted in the overall lowest residuals and incurred the least computational expense is recommended in the present study. The present work illustrates how different external-load modeling approaches can result in substantial differences in predicted spinal loads, especially as the movement speed increases, and how some models may perform better in terms of residual forces.

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The authors declare that all data and materials as well as software application or custom code support their published claims and comply with field standards.

Abbreviations

BK:

Body kinematics

COM:

Center of mass

COP:

Center of pressure

EHF&M:

External hand forces and moments

FD:

Forward dynamics

GRF&M:

Ground reaction forces and moments

ICC:

Intraclass correlation coefficient

ID:

Inverse dynamics

IK:

Inverse kinematics

LFB:

Lifting full-body

RRA:

Residual Reduction Algorithm

SO:

Static Optimization

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Alexandre Mir-Orefice for helping with the data collection.

Funding

This study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-2020-04748 [Ryan Graham], PGSD3-518358-2018 [Mohammadhossein Akhavanfar]), the Ontario Early Researcher Award Program (ER17-13-007 [Ryan Graham]), and the University of Ottawa Research Chairs Program (Ryan Graham).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Mohammadhossein Akhavanfar, Allison L. Clouthier & Ryan B. Graham

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Thomas K. Uchida

  3. Ottawa–Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Thomas K. Uchida & Ryan B. Graham

Authors
  1. Mohammadhossein Akhavanfar
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Correspondence to Ryan B. Graham.

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Experiments in the present study were approved by the University of Ottawa Research Ethics Board (H-06-18-721).

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Akhavanfar, M., Uchida, T.K., Clouthier, A.L. et al. Sharing the load: modeling loads in OpenSim to simulate two-handed lifting. Multibody Syst Dyn 54, 213–234 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11044-021-09808-7

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