Assessing musculo-articular stiffness using free oscillations: Theory, measurement and analysis

Ditroilo, M; Watsford, M; Murphy, A; De Vito, G

Assessing musculo-articular stiffness using free oscillations: Theory, measurement and analysis

Ditroilo, M Watsford, M

Murphy, A De Vito, G

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Sports Medicine, 2011, 41 (12), pp. 1019 - 1032
Issue Date:: 2011-11-14

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Ditroilo, M	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Watsford, M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4569-6377	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Murphy, A	en_US
dc.contributor.author	De Vito, G	en_US
dc.date.issued	2011-11-14	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Sports Medicine, 2011, 41 (12), pp. 1019 - 1032	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0112-1642	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/18624
dc.description.abstract	Stiffness, the relationship between applied load and elastic deformation, is an important neuromechanical component related to muscular performance and injury risk. The free-oscillation technique is a popular method for stiffness assessment. There has been wide application of this technique assessing a variety of musculature, including the triceps surae, knee flexors, knee extensors and pectorals. The methodology involves the modelling of the system as a linear damped mass-spring system. The use of such a model has certain advantages and limitations that will be discussed within this review. Perhaps the major advantage of such a model is the specificity of the measure, whereby it is possible for the assessment conditions to simulate the type of loading witnessed during functional tasks and sporting situations. High levels of reliability and construct validity have typically been reported using such procedures. Despite these assurances of accuracy, a number of issues have also been identified. The literature reveals some concerns surrounding the use of a linear model for stiffness assessment. Further, procedural issues surrounding the administration of the perturbation, attention focus of the participant during the perturbation, signal collection, data processing and analysis, presentation of stiffness as a linear or torsional value, assessment load (single vs multiple vs maximal) and the stiffness-load relationship have been identified, and are all fundamentally related to the quality of the calculated output data. Finally, several important considerations for practitioners have been recommended to ensure the quality and consistency of stiffness data collection, processing and interpretation. © 2011 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Sports Medicine	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.2165/11591470-000000000-00000	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Sport Sciences	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Leg	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Muscle, Skeletal	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Joints	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Linear Models	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Reproducibility of Results	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Elastic Modulus	en_US
dc.title	Assessing musculo-articular stiffness using free oscillations: Theory, measurement and analysis	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	12	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	41	en_US
utslib.for	1106 Human Movement and Sports Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	0913 Mechanical Engineering	en_US
utslib.for	1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Sports and Exercise Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	12	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	41	en_US

Abstract:

Stiffness, the relationship between applied load and elastic deformation, is an important neuromechanical component related to muscular performance and injury risk. The free-oscillation technique is a popular method for stiffness assessment. There has been wide application of this technique assessing a variety of musculature, including the triceps surae, knee flexors, knee extensors and pectorals. The methodology involves the modelling of the system as a linear damped mass-spring system. The use of such a model has certain advantages and limitations that will be discussed within this review. Perhaps the major advantage of such a model is the specificity of the measure, whereby it is possible for the assessment conditions to simulate the type of loading witnessed during functional tasks and sporting situations. High levels of reliability and construct validity have typically been reported using such procedures. Despite these assurances of accuracy, a number of issues have also been identified. The literature reveals some concerns surrounding the use of a linear model for stiffness assessment. Further, procedural issues surrounding the administration of the perturbation, attention focus of the participant during the perturbation, signal collection, data processing and analysis, presentation of stiffness as a linear or torsional value, assessment load (single vs multiple vs maximal) and the stiffness-load relationship have been identified, and are all fundamentally related to the quality of the calculated output data. Finally, several important considerations for practitioners have been recommended to ensure the quality and consistency of stiffness data collection, processing and interpretation. © 2011 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/18624