Simulation Of Lower Extremity Muscle Activation During Obstacle Clearance

Abstract: Exoskeletons can be helpful to patients who suffer from muscular dysfunctions. Recent studies focus on exoskeletons which can perform complex human movements. Further analysis is needed in the area of unusual movements like obstacle clearance to design an assistive device which can deliver effective aid to the intended patients in need. It is necessary to understand the behavior of lower limb muscles when they are subjected to complex physical activity. This study is aimed to analyze the activity of muscles in the lower body during obstacle clearance. Two different levels of obstacle have been maintained, analyzed and compared with a normal gait. The muscle groups taken for the study are quadriceps, hamstrings and plantar flexors. The primary hypothesis is that the quadriceps, Hamstrings, and dorsi flexors tend to have higher muscle activation while performing a complex physical task like stepping over an obstacle with the heights of 20 cms and 36 cms than a normal walking gait. The muscles from those three mentioned groups contribute more to the obstacle clearance compare to that of normal gait. Further research is recommended to expand knowledge about muscle activation.