Adopting appropriate postures during manual materialhandling tasks is the key to reducing human joint injuries. Although much experimentation has been conducted in an effort to model lifting, such an approach is not general enough to consider all potential scenarios in material handling. Thus, in this paper an optimization-based motion prediction method is used to simulate realistic lifting pos...

Unanticipated cutting tasks have been shown to increase the varus/valgus (VV) and internal/external rotation (IE) moments at the knee as much as 200% compared with cutting manoeuvres that are preplanned (Besier et al, 2001). These loads coupled with an external flexion moment during stance phase are hypothesised to be responsible for non-contact knee ligament injuries. Muscles have the potentia...

Neurons in monkey primary motor cortex (M1) tend to be most active for certain directions of hand movement and joint-torque loads applied to the limb. The origin and function of these biases in preference distribution are unclear but may be key to understanding the causal role of M1 in limb control. We demonstrate that these distributions arise naturally in a network model that commands muscle ...

Rowing is a whole-body exercise that requires co-ordination of the motions of the upper and lower extremities and trunk. Indoor ergometer rowing has long been used by competitive rowers as a training method, but it has also been widely adopted by non-rowers as an exercise for general fitness. A knowledge of the loads in the muscles and joints of the body during ergometer rowing is important not...

In an age of increasing numbers of lifestyle diseases and plasticity of longevity, exercise and weight training have been increasingly recognized as both preventing and mitigating the severity of many illnesses. This study was designed to determine whether significant weight-lifting gains could be realized through the Anatoly Gravitational System. Specifically, this study sought to determine wh...

Cutting maneuvers (CM) are frequently executed in sports. This task is relevant as it is a key ability for team sports players (TSP) but also bears the risk of ACL tears. An analysis of the movement strategies (MS) and musculoskeletal loads (MSL) occurring during CMs could reveal factors for efficient CMs and major triggers governing the occurrence of ACL tears. This study investigated the MS a...

Mechanical loading is believed to be a critical factor in the development and treatment of knee osteoarthritis. However, the contact forces to which the knee articular surfaces are subjected during daily activities cannot be measured clinically. Thus, the ability to predict internal knee contact forces accurately using external measures (i.e., external knee loads and muscle electromyographic [E...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this mini-review is to examine a subset of literature that demonstrates multiple interactions between mechanics and biology within the spine and propose how incorporation of these mechano-biologic interactions can be applied to improve the conceptual understanding of tissue tolerances. BACKGROUND Low back pain represents a major musculoskeletal problem in the workpl...

To investigate the long term effect of heavy construction work on the back the occurrence of postures, lifting, carrying, and accidents in concrete reinforcement work and in maintenance house painting were measured. The 32 620 observations covering 272 work hours showed that reinforcement work necessitated stooped postures and heavy lifting more often than did painting. Reported minor back acci...

Articular cartilage is the highly specialized connective tissue of diarthrodial joints. Its principal function is to provide a smooth, lubricated surface for articulation and to facilitate the transmission of loads with a low frictional coefficient (Figure 1). Articular cartilage is devoid of blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves and is subject to a harsh biomechanical environment. Most importa...