Universität Stuttgart
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Item Open Access Determination of muscle shape deformations of the tibialis anterior during dynamic contractions using 3D ultrasound(2024) Sahrmann, Annika S.; Vosse, Lukas; Siebert, Tobias; Handsfield, Geoffrey G.; Röhrle, OliverPurpose: In this paper, we introduce a novel method for determining 3D deformations of the human tibialis anterior (TA) muscle during dynamic movements using 3D ultrasound. Materials and Methods: An existing automated 3D ultrasound system is used for data acquisition, which consists of three moveable axes, along which the probe can move. While the subjects perform continuous plantar- and dorsiflexion movements in two different controlled velocities, the ultrasound probe sweeps cyclically from the ankle to the knee along the anterior shin. The ankle joint angle can be determined using reflective motion capture markers. Since we considered the movement direction of the foot, i.e., active or passive TA, four conditions occur: slow active, slow passive, fast active, fast passive. By employing an algorithm which defines ankle joint angle intervals, i.e., intervals of range of motion (ROM), 3D images of the volumes during movement can be reconstructed. Results: We found constant muscle volumes between different muscle lengths, i.e., ROM intervals. The results show an increase in mean cross-sectional area (CSA) for TA muscle shortening. Furthermore, a shift in maximum CSA towards the proximal side of the muscle could be observed for muscle shortening. We found significantly different maximum CSA values between the fast active and all other conditions, which might be caused by higher muscle activation due to the faster velocity. Conclusion: In summary, we present a method for determining muscle volume deformation during dynamic contraction using ultrasound, which will enable future empirical studies and 3D computational models of skeletal muscles.Item Open Access The effect of multidirectional loading on contractions of the M. medial gastrocnemius(2021) Ryan, David S.; Stutzig, Norman; Helmer, Andreas; Siebert, Tobias; Wakeling, James M.Research has shown that compression of muscle can lead to a change in muscle force. Most studies show compression to lead to a reduction in muscle force, although recent research has shown that increases are also possible. Based on methodological differences in the loading design between studies, it seems that muscle length and the direction of transverse loading influence the effect of muscle compression on force production. Thus, in our current study we implement these two factors to influence the effects of muscle loading. In contrast to long resting length of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) in most studies, we use a shorter MG resting length by having participant seated with their knees at a 90° angle. Where previous studies have used unidirectional loads to compress the MG, in this study we applied a multidirectional load using a sling setup. Multidirectional loading using a sling setup has been shown to cause muscle force reductions in previous research. As a result of our choices in experimental design we observed changes in the effects of muscle loading compared to previous research. In the present study we observed no changes in muscle force due to muscle loading. Muscle thickness and pennation angle showed minor but significant increases during contraction. However, no significant changes occurred between unloaded and loaded trials. Fascicle thickness and length showed different patterns of change compared to previous research. We show that muscle loading does not result in force reduction in all situations and is possibly linked to differences in muscle architecture and muscle length.Item Open Access Das untere Sprunggelenk als biomechanischer Einflussfaktor : Entwicklung und Anwendung eines IMU-Systems zur Beschreibung der Orientierung der Achsen des Sprunggelenks(2020) Schlechtweg, Sascha; Alt, Wilfried (Prof. Dr.)Item Open Access Comparative sensitivity analysis of muscle activation dynamics(2015) Rockenfeller, Robert; Günther, Michael; Schmitt, Syn; Götz, ThomasWe mathematically compared two models of mammalian striated muscle activation dynamics proposed by Hatze and Zajac. Both models are representative for a broad variety of biomechanical models formulated as ordinary differential equations (ODEs). These models incorporate parameters that directly represent known physiological properties. Other parameters have been introduced to reproduce empirical observations. We used sensitivity analysis to investigate the influence of model parameters on the ODE solutions. In addition, we expanded an existing approach to treating initial conditions as parameters and to calculating second- order sensitivities. Furthermore, we used a global sensitivity analysis approach to include finite ranges of parameter values. Hence, a theoretician striving for model reduction could use the method for identifying particularly low sensitivities to detect superfluous parameters. An experimenter could use it for identifying particularly high sensitivities to improve parameter estimation. Hatze’s nonlinear model incorporates some parameters to which activation dynamics is clearly more sensitive than to any parameter in Zajac’s linear model. Other than Zajac’s model, Hatze’s model can, however, reproduce measured shifts in optimal muscle length with varied muscle activity. Accordingly we extracted a specific parameter set for Hatze’s model that combines best with a particular muscle force-length relation.Item Open Access Effects of acute exercise at different intensities on fine motor‐cognitive dual‐task performance while walking : a functional near‐infrared spectroscopy study(2021) Park, Soo‐Yong; Reinl, Maren; Schott, NadjaStudies on the effects of acute exercises on cognitive functions vary greatly and depend on the duration and intensity of exercise and the type of cognitive tasks. This study aimed to investigate the neural correlates that underpin the acute effects of high‐intensity interval (HIIE) versus moderate‐intensity continuous exercise (MCE) on fine motor‐cognitive performance while walking (dual‐task, DT) in healthy young adults. Twenty‐nine healthy right‐handers (mean age: 25.1 years ± 4.04; 7 female) performed the digital trail‐making‐test (dTMT) while walking (5 km/h) before and after acute exercise. During task performance, the hemodynamic activation of the frontopolar area (FPA), dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC), and motor cortex (M1) was recorded using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Both HIIE and MCE resulted in improved dTMT performance, as reflected by an increase in the number of completed circles and a reduction in the time within and between circuits (reflecting improvements in working memory, inhibition, and decision making). Notably, HIIE evoked higher cortical activity on all brain areas measured in the present study than the MCE group. To our knowledge, these results provide the first empirical evidence using a mobile neuroimaging approach that both HIIE and MCE improve executive function during walking, likely mediated by increased activation of the task‐related area of the prefrontal cortex and the ability to effectively use, among other things, high fitness levels as neural enrichment resources.Item Open Access Cross-bridge mechanics estimated from skeletal muscles’ work-loop responses to impacts in legged locomotion(2021) Christensen, Kasper B.; Günther, Michael; Schmitt, Syn; Siebert, TobiasLegged locomotion has evolved as the most common form of terrestrial locomotion. When the leg makes contact with a solid surface, muscles absorb some of the shock-wave accelerations (impacts) that propagate through the body. We built a custom-made frame to which we fixated a rat (Rattus norvegicus, Wistar) muscle (m. gastrocnemius medialis and lateralis: GAS) for emulating an impact. We found that the fibre material of the muscle dissipates between 3.5 and 23μJ ranging from fresh, fully active to passive muscle material, respectively. Accordingly, the corresponding dissipated energy in a half-sarcomere ranges between 10.4 and 68zJ, respectively. At maximum activity, a single cross-bridge would, thus, dissipate 0.6% of the mechanical work available per ATP split per impact, and up to 16% energy in common, submaximal, activities. We also found the cross-bridge stiffness as low as 2.2pNnm-1, which can be explained by the Coulomb-actuating cross-bridge part dominating the sarcomere stiffness. Results of the study provide a deeper understanding of contractile dynamics during early ground contact in bouncy gait.Item Open Access Vertical jump kinetic parameters on sand and rigid surfaces in young female volleyball players with a combined background in indoor and beach volleyball(2023) Giatsis, George; Panoutsakopoulos, Vassilios; Frese, Christina; Kollias, Iraklis A.Little is known about the differences in vertical jump biomechanics executed on rigid (RJS) and sand (SJS) surfaces in female indoor and beach volleyball players. Eleven young female beach volleyball players with a combined indoor and beach volleyball sport background performed squat jumps, countermovement jumps with and without an arm swing, and drop jumps from 40 cm on a RJS (force plate) and SJS (sand pit attached to the force plate). The results of the 2 (surface) × 4 (vertical jump test) repeated-measure ANOVA revealed a significant (p < 0.05) main effect of the surface and the vertical jump test on the jump height and time to achieve peak vertical body center of mass velocity. A significant (p < 0.05) main effect of the test, but not of the surface (p > 0.05), was observed for the other examined biomechanical parameters. The only significant (p < 0.05) jump height gain difference between RJS and SJS was observed for the utilization of the stretch-shortening cycle, which was higher in SJS (15.4%) compared to RJS (7.5%). In conclusion, as the testing was conducted during the beach volleyball competitive season, the examined female players showed adaptations relating the effective utilization of the pre-stretch and enhanced stability during the execution of the vertical jump tests on a SJS compared to RJS.Item Open Access Upright posture control in changing gravity conditions(2021) Smirnov, EvgeniiIn order to be able to withstand and to take advantage of external forces and to be able to direct motor actions, living organisms developed ability to sense environmental impacts. For instance, proprioceptors and cutaneous receptors allow vertebrates to take into account, above all, gravitational influences. These receptors participate in planning and correcting posture, locomotion and other movements. In this thesis mechanisms of equilibrium control in changing gravity conditions were studied by means of literature analysis and analysis of data obtained in parabolic flight. This analysis revealed that standing balance in overloading is likely controlled in a manner resembling a single-link inverted pendulum. Such behavior could be beneficial to take advantage of passive body structures and to more actively involve foot receptors in balance regulation in challenging conditions. This adaptation also resembles typical postural responses in balance perturbation tasks. The latter were then studied in more detail. Further literature overview supported the suggestion that plantar foot receptors play an essential role in dynamic stability of upright posture. The obtained conclusions allowed to formulate possible mechanisms of sway and balance control and make suggestions on possible implementation of these mechanisms into the neuromusculoskeletal human model proposed by Walter, Gunther, Haeufle, and Schmitt (2021) in order to make equilibrium control of this model robuster.Item Open Access Appraisal of triglyceride-related markers as early predictors of metabolic outcomes in the PREVIEW lifestyle intervention : a controlled post-hoc trial(2021) Navas-Carretero, Santiago; San-Cristobal, Rodrigo; Siig Vestentoft, Pia; Brand-Miller, Jennie C.; Jalo, Elli; Westerterp-Plantenga, Margriet; Simpson, Elizabeth J.; Handjieva-Darlenska, Teodora; Stratton, Gareth; Huttunen-Lenz, Maija; Lam, Tony; Muirhead, Roslyn; Poppitt, Sally; Pietiläinen, Kirsi H.; Adam, Tanja; Taylor, Moira A.; Handjiev, Svetoslav; McNarry, Melitta A.; Hansen, Sylvia; Brodie, Shannon; Silvestre, Marta P.; Macdonald, Ian A.; Boyadjieva, Nadka; Mackintosh, Kelly A.; Schlicht, Wolfgang; Liu, Amy; Larsen, Thomas M.; Fogelholm, Mikael; Raben, Anne; Martinez, J. AlfredoIndividuals with pre-diabetes are commonly overweight and benefit from dietary and physical activity strategies aimed at decreasing body weight and hyperglycemia. Early insulin resistance can be estimated via the triglyceride glucose index {TyG = Ln [TG (mg/dl) × fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (mg/dl)/2]} and the hypertriglyceridemic-high waist phenotype (TyG-waist), based on TyG x waist circumference (WC) measurements. Both indices may be useful for implementing personalized metabolic management. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (RCT), we aimed to determine whether the differences in baseline TyG values and TyG-waist phenotype predicted individual responses to type-2 diabetes (T2D) prevention programs. The present post-hoc analyses were conducted within the Prevention of Diabetes through Lifestyle intervention and population studies in Europe and around the world (PREVIEW) study completers (n = 899), a multi-center RCT conducted in eight countries (NCT01777893). The study aimed to reduce the incidence of T2D in a population with pre-diabetes during a 3-year randomized intervention with two sequential phases. The first phase was a 2-month weight loss intervention to achieve ≥8% weight loss. The second phase was a 34-month weight loss maintenance intervention with two diets providing different amounts of protein and different glycemic indices, and two physical activity programs with different exercise intensities in a 2 x 2 factorial design. On investigation days, we assessed anthropometrics, glucose/lipid metabolism markers, and diet and exercise questionnaires under standardized procedures. Diabetes-related markers improved during all four lifestyle interventions. Higher baseline TyG index (p < 0.001) was associated with greater reductions in body weight, fasting glucose, and triglyceride (TG), while a high TyG-waist phenotype predicted better TG responses, particularly in those randomized to physical activity (PA) of moderate intensity. Two novel indices of insulin resistance (TyG and TyG-waist) may allow for a more personalized approach to avoiding progression to T2D.Item Open Access Implementation and validation of the extended Hill-type muscle model with robust routing capabilities in LS-DYNA for active human body models(2017) Kleinbach, Christian; Martynenko, Oleksandr; Promies, Janik; Häufle, Daniel F. B.; Fehr, Jörg; Schmitt, SynIn the state of the art finite element AHBMs for car crash analysis in the LS-DYNA software material named *MAT_MUSCLE (*MAT_156) is used for active muscles modeling. It has three elements in parallel configuration, which has several major drawbacks: restraint approximation of the physical reality, complicated parameterization and absence of the integrated activation dynamics. This study presents implementation of the extended four element Hill-type muscle model with serial damping and eccentric force-velocity relation including Ca2+ dependent activation dynamics and internal method for physiological muscle routing.