Hip joint contact force in the emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae) during normal level walking

Jessica E Goetz; Timothy R Derrick; Douglas R Pedersen; Duane A Robinson; Michael G Conzemius; Thomas E Baer; Thomas D Brown

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.11.022

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Hip joint contact force in the emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae) during normal level walking

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Hip joint contact force in the emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae) during normal level walking

Jessica E Goetz, Timothy R Derrick, Douglas R Pedersen, Duane A Robinson, Michael G Conzemius, Thomas E Baer and Thomas D Brown

Journal of biomechanics, Vol.41(4), pp.770-778

2008

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.11.022

PMCID: PMC2291359

PMID: 18206892

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/2291359View

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Abstract

The emu is a large, (bipedal) flightless bird that potentially can be used to study various orthopaedic disorders in which load protection of the experimental limb is a limitation of quadrupedal models. An anatomy-based analysis of normal emu walking gait was undertaken to determine hip contact forces for comparison with human data. Kinematic and kinetic data captured for two laboratory-habituated emus were used to drive the model. Muscle attachment data were obtained by dissection, and bony geometries were obtained by CT scan. Inverse dynamics calculations at all major lower-limb joints were used in conjunction with optimization of muscle forces to determine hip contact forces. Like human walking gait, emu ground reaction forces showed a bimodal distribution over the course of the stance phase. Two-bird averaged maximum hip contact force was approximately 5.5 times body weight, directed nominally axially along the femur. This value is only modestly larger than optimization-based hip contact forces reported in literature for humans. The interspecies similarity in hip contact forces makes the emu a biomechanically attractive animal in which to model loading-dependent human orthopaedic hip disorders.

Contact forces

Emu

Gait analysis

Kinematics

Details

Title: Subtitle: Hip joint contact force in the emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae) during normal level walking
Creators: Jessica E Goetz - Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Timothy R Derrick - Department of Health and Human Performance, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
Douglas R Pedersen - Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Duane A Robinson - Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
Michael G Conzemius - Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
Thomas E Baer - Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Thomas D Brown - Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of biomechanics, Vol.41(4), pp.770-778
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.11.022
PMID: 18206892
PMCID: PMC2291359
NLM abbreviation: J Biomech
ISSN: 0021-9290
eISSN: 1873-2380
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Language: English
Date published: 2008
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
Record Identifier: 9984040256902771

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