TENDON FORCE MEASUREMENTS AND MOVEMENT CONTROL - A REVIEW

Knowledge of the mechanical and electrical output from skeletal muscle is of interest to investigators from several disciplines including ph ysiology, biomechanics, neuroscience, orthopedics, and physical rehabi litation. Estimates of muscle output (i.e., force) have generally been made using indirect calculations. Forward solution (e.g., EMG) and op timization models have recently been developed using of a wide variety of input parameters to estimate force output of individual muscles. T hese estimates, however, have lacked comparison values necessary for v alidation. In vivo measurements of muscle force have been made in both animals and humans using a ''buckle'' type tendon transducer surgical ly implanted on the tendons of the muscles under study. Investigations utilizing these transducers have addressed a wide range of questions regarding muscle function. This review examines the use of this techno logy and discusses the significance of the future use of ''buckle'' tr ansducers in studies exploring load sharing among muscles and in the v alidation of existing models that estimate muscle force.