The control of joint stiffness is a fundamental mechanism used to control human movements. While many studies have observed how stiffness is modulated for tasks involving shoulder and elbow motion, a limited amount of knowledge is available for wrist movements, though the wrist plays a crucial role in manipulation. We have developed a computational framework based on a realistic musculoskeletal model, which allows one to calculate the passive and active components of the wrist joint stiffness. We first used the framework to validate the musculoskeletal model against experimental measurements of the wrist joint stiffness, and then to study the contribution of different muscle groups to the passive joint stiffness. We finally used the framework to study the effect of muscle cocontraction on the active joint stiffness. The results show that thumb and finger muscles play a crucial role in determining the passive wrist joint stiffness: in the neutral posture, the direction of maximum stiffness aligns with the experimental measurements, and the magnitude increases by 113% when they are included. Moreover, the analysis of the controllability of joint stiffness showed that muscle cocontraction positively correlates with the stiffness magnitude and negatively correlates with the variability of the stiffness orientation (p < 0.01 in both cases). Finally, an exhaustive search showed that with appropriate selection of a muscle activation strategy, the joint stiffness orientation can be arbitrarily modulated. This observation suggests the absence of biomechanical constraints on the controllability of the orientation of the wrist joint stiffness.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
April 2019
Research-Article
Model-Based Analysis of the Stiffness of the Wrist Joint in Active and Passive Conditions
Andrea Zonnino,
Andrea Zonnino
Human Robotics Laboratory,
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Delaware,
Newark, DE 19713
e-mail: zonni@udel.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Delaware,
Newark, DE 19713
e-mail: zonni@udel.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Fabrizio Sergi
Fabrizio Sergi
Human Robotics Laboratory,
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Delaware,
Newark, DE 19713
e-mail: fabs@udel.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Delaware,
Newark, DE 19713
e-mail: fabs@udel.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Andrea Zonnino
Human Robotics Laboratory,
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Delaware,
Newark, DE 19713
e-mail: zonni@udel.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Delaware,
Newark, DE 19713
e-mail: zonni@udel.edu
Fabrizio Sergi
Human Robotics Laboratory,
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Delaware,
Newark, DE 19713
e-mail: fabs@udel.edu
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Delaware,
Newark, DE 19713
e-mail: fabs@udel.edu
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received March 6, 2018; final manuscript received January 18, 2019; published online February 27, 2019. Assoc. Editor: Beth A. Winkelstein.
J Biomech Eng. Apr 2019, 141(4): 041006 (10 pages)
Published Online: February 27, 2019
Article history
Received:
March 6, 2018
Revised:
January 18, 2019
Citation
Zonnino, A., and Sergi, F. (February 27, 2019). "Model-Based Analysis of the Stiffness of the Wrist Joint in Active and Passive Conditions." ASME. J Biomech Eng. April 2019; 141(4): 041006. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4042684
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Related Articles
Fiber Type and Size as Sources of Variation in Human Single Muscle Fiber Passive Elasticity
J Biomech Eng (August,2020)
Reduced Smooth Muscle Contractile Capacity Facilitates Maladaptive Arterial Remodeling
J Biomech Eng (April,2022)
Constant and Variable Stiffness and Damping of the Leg Joints in Human Hopping
J Biomech Eng (August,2003)
Determination of Passive Moment-Angle Relationships at the Trapeziometacarpal Joint
J Biomech Eng (July,2010)
Related Chapters
Human Thermal Comfort
Electromagnetic Waves and Heat Transfer: Sensitivites to Governing Variables in Everyday Life
Intuitive Optimization
Engineering Optimization: Applications, Methods, and Analysis
Characterization of Skeletal Muscle Elasticity Using Magnetic Resonance Elastography
Biomedical Applications of Vibration and Acoustics in Imaging and Characterizations