Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Stability of structures

Stability of structures

In mechanical engineering, the stability of systems under various forces is critical for designing durable and efficient structures. One fundamental way to explore these concepts is by analyzing systems like two rods connected at a pivot point, O, with a torsional spring of spring constant k at the pivot point. This system is similar in appearance to a scissor jack used to change tires on a car. In this case, the arms of the linkage (equivalent to the rods in this system) are entirely vertical,...

Static Friction

Static Friction

Static friction is a force that opposes the relative motion or tendency of motion between two surfaces in contact. It plays a crucial role in our daily lives, from walking on the ground to driving a car.
For example, consider a scenario where a truck is connected to a car by a rope, ready to tow it along a road. When no external force is applied by the truck, the car remains stationary and is said to be in static equilibrium. In this case, the forces acting on the car, such as gravity and the...

Static Equilibrium - II

Static Equilibrium - II

Static equilibrium is a special case in mechanics that is very important in everyday life. It occurs when the net force and the net torque on an object or system are both zero. This means that both the linear and angular accelerations are zero. Thus, the object is at rest, or its center of mass is moving at a constant velocity. However, this does not mean that no forces are acting on the object within the system. In fact, there are very few scenarios on Earth in which no forces are acting upon...

Constraints and Statical Determinacy

Constraints and Statical Determinacy

In structural engineering, the equilibrium of a system is not only determined by its equations of equilibrium but also with the help of constraints. Constraints refer to restrictions on the motion of a system. The proper combinations of constraints can minimize the total number of constraints needed to maintain a system in mechanical equilibrium. When this happens, the system is said to be statically determinate. For such systems, the unknown reaction supports can be estimated using equilibrium...

Hooke's Law

Hooke's Law

Hooke's law, a pivotal principle in material science, establishes that the strain a material undergoes is directly proportional to the applied stress, defined by a factor called the modulus of elasticity or Young's modulus.

Impact Loading

Impact loading occurs when a moving object collides with a stationary structure, such as a rod with a uniform cross-sectional area fixed at one end. Under these conditions, the rod absorbs the kinetic energy from the striking object, leading to deformation and subsequent stress development. As the rod returns to its original position and reaches maximum stress, the absorbed energy, initially manifested as kinetic energy, transforms entirely into strain energy.
In cases of elastic deformation,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Quiet standing: a simple motor task but a hard modeling challenge.

Progress in biomedical engineering (Bristol, England)·2026

Same author

Explaining human motor coordination via the synergy expansion hypothesis.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Same author

Kinematic hand synergies differ between reach-and-grasp and functional object manipulation.

Journal of neurophysiology·2024

Same author

Simplified internal models in human control of complex objects.

PLoS computational biology·2024

Same author

Frequency-domain patterns in foot-force line-of-action: an emergent property of standing balance control.

Journal of neurophysiology·2024

Same author

Human foot force suggests different balance control between younger and older adults.

Journal of neurophysiology·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Flexible Wearable Supernumerary Robotic Limb for Chronic Stroke Patients

A Flexible Wearable Supernumerary Robotic Limb for Chronic Stroke Patients

Published on: October 27, 2023

Stabilizing stiffness is the most limiting factor in human force exertion.

F Tessari¹, N Hogan^2,3

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. ftessari@mit.edu.

Nature Communications

|June 16, 2026

Summary

Human force generation is limited by joint stiffness, not limb configuration. Reducing wrist stiffness significantly decreased maximum voluntary pushing force, highlighting stiffness as a key factor.

More Related Videos

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

Isometric and Eccentric Force Generation Assessment of Skeletal Muscles Isolated from Murine Models of Muscular Dystrophies

Isometric and Eccentric Force Generation Assessment of Skeletal Muscles Isolated from Murine Models of Muscular Dystrophies

Published on: January 31, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Flexible Wearable Supernumerary Robotic Limb for Chronic Stroke Patients

A Flexible Wearable Supernumerary Robotic Limb for Chronic Stroke Patients

Published on: October 27, 2023

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

Isometric and Eccentric Force Generation Assessment of Skeletal Muscles Isolated from Murine Models of Muscular Dystrophies

Isometric and Eccentric Force Generation Assessment of Skeletal Muscles Isolated from Murine Models of Muscular Dystrophies

Published on: January 31, 2013

Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Human motor control
Musculoskeletal system

Background:

Humans exhibit impressive control over physical interactions despite physiological constraints like slow muscles and neural delays.
Force generation during physical tasks is influenced by body posture and task stability.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the limits of human force generation.
To determine the influence of body configuration and joint stiffness on maximum voluntary force output.

Main Methods:

An experiment involving healthy individuals performing a maximum voluntary pushing task was designed.
A custom gimbal apparatus altered torque transmission at the wrist.
The experiment was conducted with two different arm positions to evaluate limb configuration effects.

Main Results:

A significant reduction in maximum force was observed when the wrist's ability to generate stabilizing stiffness was diminished.
Minimal differences in maximum pushing force were found between the two tested arm configurations.
Findings suggest stiffness production is a primary determinant of force exertion limits.

Conclusions:

Joint stiffness, particularly at the wrist, plays a critical role in limiting human force generation.
Limb configuration has a less pronounced effect on maximum pushing force compared to stiffness.
Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing human performance in physical tasks.