Quantifying and Predicting Biomechanical Variability in Musculoskeletal Movement

不同人群的肌肉和关节解剖结构以及上肢运动差异很大。这种多样性对理解人类运动的基本模式提出了科学挑战。建立正常运动的特征可以根据与日常生活、工作或娱乐活动相关的因素来评估对这些模式的适应。肩部很复杂，有多个肌肉和关节提供卓越的功能能力。然而，这种大的运动范围和姿势灵活性放大了所描述的挑战。我的研究致力于通过研究组织对不同机械因素的反应和适应以及开发捕获群体变异性的技术来了解不同群体的基本上肢运动。实验和计算机模拟方法的整合将用于解决三个相互关联的主题内的研究目标。 1) 肌肉协调和运动对机械暴露的反应的变化。将研究肌肉控制和运动的调节因素。这将包括量化肌肉协调性的变化，以响应机械暴露，例如姿势、力量和重复活动。重点将集中于研究与肌肉疲劳和恢复相关的肌肉和关节策略的变异性，以及对肌肉骨骼运动和功能的影响。将在考虑人体测量多样化人群的变异性的同时对这些关系进行调查。 2）生物组织测量方法的进步。将进行致力于完善和开发新方法以非侵入性量化生物组织的研究。具体来说，将研究超声波准确测量关键肌肉和关节特征的能力。 3）计算机模拟上肢运动以预测肌肉控制的差异。三维计算机模拟可以量化和预测实验无法测量的结果。将开发人类运动的计算机模型来研究肌肉控制的变化如何改变复杂的运动模式，特别是通过模拟疲劳的肌肉反应。 该研究计划的预期成果将为加拿大的自然科学和工程领域做出令人兴奋的新颖贡献。将确定与肌肉策略的控制、协调和适应相关的创新进展及其对上肢运动的影响。我的研究项目的基本发现将对优化人类表现、预防肌肉和关节损伤以及设计安全的工作场所产生重要影响。这些发现和相关应用将对我们年轻和老龄化高度多样化的加拿大人口具有高度相关性。

Muscle and joint anatomy, and upper limb movement are highly diverse across the population. This diversity poses scientific challenges for understanding fundamental patterns of human movement. Establishing features of normal movement enables assessment of adaptations to these patterns from factors related to activities of daily living, work or recreation. The shoulder is complex, with several muscles and joints providing exceptional functional capabilities. However, the challenges described are amplified by this large movement range and postural flexibility. My research is dedicated to understanding fundamental upper limb movement across a diverse population, through studying tissue responses and adaptations to different mechanical factors and developing techniques to capture population variability. The integration of experimental and computer simulation methodologies will be used to address research objectives within three interrelated themes. 1) Variability in muscle coordination and movement in response to mechanical exposures. Modifiers of muscle control and movement will be investigated. This will include quantifying modifications in muscle coordination in response to mechanical exposures such as posture, force, and repetitive activity. Focus will be directed towards studying variability in muscle and joint strategies related to muscle fatigue and recovery, and the implications on musculoskeletal movement and function. These relationships will be investigated while considering variability across an anthropometrically diverse population. 2) Methodological advancement in the measurement of biological tissues. Research dedicated to refining and developing novel methodologies to non-invasively quantify biological tissues will be conducted. Specifically, the capabilities of ultrasound to measure key muscle and joint characteristics accurately will be studied. 3) Computer simulation of upper limb movement to predict differences in muscle control. Three-dimensional computer simulation enables the quantification and prediction of outcomes that may not be possible to measure experimentally. Computer models of human movement will be developed to study how variation in muscle control modifies complex movement patterns, notably through simulating a fatiguing muscular response. Anticipated outcomes from this research program will yield exciting, novel contributions to the natural sciences and engineering landscape in Canada. Innovative advancements pertaining to the control, coordination and adaptation of muscular strategies and their implications on upper limb movement will be ascertained. The fundamental discoveries of my research program will have important implications for optimizing human performance, preventing muscle and joint damage, and designing safe workplaces. These findings and the pertinent applications will have high relevance for our younger and aging highly diverse Canadian population.