Finite element model for the simulation of skeletal muscle fatigue

In the present paper a new approach for the modelling of fatigue effects in skeletal muscle is proposed. This concept is micromechanically motivated. It incorporates the intramuscular connective tissue (passive part of the material) which surrounds the contractile muscle fibres (active part of the material). By sustaining a certain force level, these fibres show fatigue effects, expressed by a decrease of the retentive force. To incorporate such effects in a finite element framework we use a fatigue model that allows us to describe the dynamical processes between active, fatigued and recovered fibres. The chosen modelling strategy facilitates the efficient transport of the known information about physiological processes in the fibre to the three-dimensional macroscopic level where e.g. the dependence of muscle contraction on fatigue effects is studied. Besides the theoretical derivation of the modelling approach, simulations at fibre level as well as at muscle level (for idealised and non-idealised muscle geometries) are investigated. The paper closes with a qualitative comparison of the model with experimental data. Finite-Element-Modell zur Simulation von Skelettmuskelermudung In dem vorliegenden Artikel wird ein neuer Ansatz zu Beschreibung von Ermudungseffekten in Skelettmuskeln vorgestellt. Dieses Konzept ist mikromechanisch motiviert. Es berucksichtigt das intramuskulare Gewebe (passiver Anteil des Materials), das die kontraktilen Muskelfasern (aktiver Anteil des Materials) einfasst. Bei Aufrechterhaltung eines bestimmten Kraftlevels zeigen diese Fasern Ermudungseffekte. Diese ausern sich in der Abnahme der zu haltenden Kraft. Um einen solchen Effekt im Rahmen der Finite-Elemente-Methode umzusetzen, wird ein Ermudungsmodell verwendet, welches erlaubt, die dynamischen Prozesse zwischen aktiven, ermudeten und neuerlich aktivierten Fasern zu beschreiben. Mit dem gewahlten Modellierungskonzept ist es auf effizientem Wege moglich, bekannte physiologische Prozesse auf Faserebene auf die Ebene eines dreidimensionalen Skelettmuskels zu transferieren, um somit z. B. Einflusse wie Ermudungseffekte zu studieren. Neben der theoretischen Herleitung des Modells werden in dieser Arbeit Simulationen auf Faserebene sowie auf Muskelebene (fur idealisierte als auch reale Muskelgeometrien) durchgefuhrt. Der Artikel schliest mit einem qualitativen Vergleich des Modells mit Experimenten.

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