Simulation of Lower Limb Muscle Moment and Total Muscle Fiber Force Using OpenSim for Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Computational modelling is a tool that provide accurate readings and simulation by using a combination of trusted and tested mathematical models of materials and system dynamics. Existing study in gait analysis mostly focus on extrinsic parameter such as kinetics and kinematics measures. The analysis of gait especially for disease such as knee osteoarthritis (OA) can provides insight into muscle properties, activation pattern and potential impact on the knee stability and function. This study aims to simulate and compare muscle activation properties in normal individual and individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) during gait phases. This study used musculoskeletal modeling software, OpenSim, to analyze the total fiber force and moment of several key muscles (such as medial gastrocnemius, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris) relative to knee flexion moments. The motion analysis data of three subjects (one normal subject and two knee OA patients) were used in this study. The results shows that total muscle fiber force and muscle moment for medial gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis muscle were higher among individual with knee osteoarthritis. Meanwhile, rectus femoris muscle behaved differently where both parameters were smaller among knee OA patient. These simulated findings suggest that muscle mechanism changed due to knee osteoarthritis disease. The muscles force and moment were observed in this study gave some insight on the devastating effect of the disease on the lower limb joint muscle. Thus, further study is still warranted to investigate the risk of muscle injury and alteration of gait on individual with knee osteoarthritis. It is highly recommended to repeat this study with larger number of subjects for a better data interpretation.