On the effectiveness of force application in guided leg movements

In guided leg movements (e.g., in cycling or wheelchair propulsion), the kinematics of a limb are determined by the object on which a force is applied. As a consequence, the force direction can vary and may deviate from the movement direction, that is, the effective direction. In the present study, the relation of effective force application and maximal power output was examined. Subjects (n = 5) performed guided leg tasks on a special dynamometer. They were instructed to exert a maximal force against a moving forceplate in the direction of the movement, as if they were pushing the plate away. Three different movement directions were tested: perpendicular to the horizontal, rotated 30 degrees backward, and rotated 30 degrees forward. For each trial, force and position data were recorded. The results of the experiments showed that in the extreme movement directions (both 30 degrees conditions), the force vector deviated significantly from the direction of the movement. Apparently, maximal power output was achieved with a low force effectiveness in these tasks. The background of this phenomenon was revealed by using the kinematics of one of these tasks in a simulation model. The stimulation level of 6 leg muscles was optimized toward a maximal effective force component (a) without a constraint on the direction of the total force or (b) with a constraint on the force component perpendicular to the effective force. The muscle stimulation pattern that resulted in the highest effective force coincided with a low force effectiveness. Apparently, this is a prerequisite for maximal power transfer from the muscles to the plate in these guided movements.