DETERMINING SUBJECT-SPECIFIC TORQUE PARAMETERS FROM MOVEMENT DATA

INTRODUCTION Computer simulation models of various sports movements have been developed in order to investigate the mechanics of optimum performance. Crucial to the development of such models is that they must be accurate representations of the biomechanical systems being studied. To assess the accuracy of a simulation model requires subject-specific parameters such as inertia, torque and visco-elastic parameters to be determined and for the output of the model to be compared in a quantitative manner to performances by the same subject [1]. Typically subject-specific torque parameters have been determined from isovelocity strength measurements on the subject with the maximal voluntary torque at a joint expressed as a function of angle and angular velocity. Obtaining accurate torque parameters using this method is not easy and requires the subject to work maximally in every trial. The aim of this study was to develop a method for determining subject-specific torque parameters from matching simulations without having to take separate strength measurements.