Muscle Contributions to Medial-Lateral Acceleration of the Body During Walking

Control of lateral balance during walking can be hindered by aging, stroke, or neuromuscular impairments [1, 2, 3]. Lateral balance can be characterized using the medial-lateral acceleration of the mass center of the body, yet the mechanisms by which muscles coordinate medial-lateral acceleration of the body mass center during walking are poorly understood. Elucidation of these mechanisms could help improve rehabilitative or surgical treatments for improving lateral balance in patients with walking impairments. For example, if the muscles that contributed most to medial-lateral acceleration of the body mass center were known, strengthening these muscles could be the focus of therapy. In this study, we analyzed a three-dimensional, muscle-driven simulation of unimpaired walking to quantify the contributions of individual muscles to the medial-lateral acceleration of the body mass center.