Lower limb models used for biomechanical analysis of human walking

Department of Process Control, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Cracow, Poland

Abstract

Over time, many researchers have focused on creating models to mathematically represent movements performed by human lower limbs, such as walking, running, and jumping. These models provide a non-invasive method to estimate kinematic and kinetic parameters under different conditions. This article reviews the main lower limb models used to study human walking and compares their performance with a 3D model consisting of seven links created using the simulation environment Simscape Multibody. A description of each model is presented, highlighting its main characteristics and the assumptions that led to its formulation. We execute numerical simulations based on the first-order Euler method to solve the differential equations resulting from the models’ implementation.