abstract

• This paper presents the analysis of a third-order linear differential equation representing the control of a muscletendon system, during quiet standing. The conditions of absolute stability and critical damping are analyzed. This study demonstrates that, for small oscillations, when the gravitational effect is modeled as a destabilizing negative stiffness and muscle-tendon stiffness is positive, the energy required to reach a critically damped state is very high. The high energy consumption is a consequence of a specific high threshold of muscle-tendon stiffness needed to achieve critical damping. An approximated graphical method confirms that during a hold and release paradigm intended to perturb quiet standing, the ankle response to fall recovery is proper of a third-order system. Furthermore, a direct estimation of the muscle and tendon parameters was obtained. © Copyright 2015 by ASME.

authors

• Chavez-Romero R.
• Cárdenas Galindo Juan Antonio
• Kennett C.J.
• Panza M.J.
• Piovesan D.

publication date

• 2015-01-01

published in

• ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)  Proceedings

keywords

• Boundary conditions; Damping; Differential equations; Energy utilization; Muscle; Stiffness; Absolute stability; Balance recoveries; Graphical methods; High energy consumption; Linear differential equation; Negative stiffness; Small oscillations; Third-order systems; Tendons

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1115/IMECE201550564

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volume

• mar-15