TY - JOUR
T1 - The influence of the biarticularity of the gastrocnemius muscle on vertical-jumping achievement
AU - van Soest, Arthur J.
AU - Schwab, Arend L.
AU - Bobbert, Maarten F.
AU - van Ingen Schenau, Gerrit Jan
PY - 1993
Y1 - 1993
N2 - Hypotheses concerning the influence of changes in the design of the human musculoskeletal system on performance cannot be tested experimentally. Computer modelling and simulation provide a research methodology that does allow manipulation of the system's design. In the present study this methodology was used to test a recently formulated hypothesis concerning the role of the biarticularity of the gastrocnemius muscle (GAS) in vertical jumping [Bobbert and van Ingen Schenau, J. Biomechanics21, 249-262 (1988)]. This was done by comparing maximal jump heights for a model equipped with biarticular GAS with a model equipped with a monoarticular GAS. It was found that jump height decreased by 10 mm when GAS was changed into a monoarticular muscle. Thus, the hypothesis formulated by Bobbert was substantiated, although quantitatively the effect is small. Our result differs from that of Pandy and Zajac [J. Biomechanics24, 1-10 (1991)], who performed similar model calculations. It is shown that the results described by these authors can be explained from the moment-arm-joint-angle relation of GAS at the knee in their model.
AB - Hypotheses concerning the influence of changes in the design of the human musculoskeletal system on performance cannot be tested experimentally. Computer modelling and simulation provide a research methodology that does allow manipulation of the system's design. In the present study this methodology was used to test a recently formulated hypothesis concerning the role of the biarticularity of the gastrocnemius muscle (GAS) in vertical jumping [Bobbert and van Ingen Schenau, J. Biomechanics21, 249-262 (1988)]. This was done by comparing maximal jump heights for a model equipped with biarticular GAS with a model equipped with a monoarticular GAS. It was found that jump height decreased by 10 mm when GAS was changed into a monoarticular muscle. Thus, the hypothesis formulated by Bobbert was substantiated, although quantitatively the effect is small. Our result differs from that of Pandy and Zajac [J. Biomechanics24, 1-10 (1991)], who performed similar model calculations. It is shown that the results described by these authors can be explained from the moment-arm-joint-angle relation of GAS at the knee in their model.
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U2 - 10.1016/0021-9290(93)90608-H
DO - 10.1016/0021-9290(93)90608-H
M3 - Article
C2 - 8423165
AN - SCOPUS:0027458337
SN - 0021-9290
VL - 26
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Journal of Biomechanics
JF - Journal of Biomechanics
IS - 1
ER -