Comparison of experimental and predicted muscle activation patterns in ballistic elbow joint movements

The human elbow joint complex (EJC) is an intricate joint which produces combinations of movements that are unique within the human body and that are involved in performing many important tasks. This paper discusses an on-going study to predict muscle force patterns in elbow flexion-extension. Four musculotendon actuators are included in this preliminary musculoskeletal model for the analysis of ballistic elbow flexion-extension movements. The key objective is to develop a computational model, guided by optimal control, to investigate the relationship among patterns of muscle excitation, individual muscle forces, and movement kinematics. Model verification is attempted using experimental data from volunteer subjects performing a ballistic elbow flexion movement.