Intrinsic, reflex and voluntary contributions to task-dependent joint stiffness

Daniel Ludvig*, Robert E. Kearney

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dynamic joint stiffness defines the dynamic relationship between the position of the joint and the torque acting about it. Joint stiffness consists of two components: intrinsic and reflex stiffness. Previous work from our lab has shown that subjects can alter their reflex stiffness voluntarily and independently of intrinsic stiffness. Numerous studies have investigated whether reflex stiffness is altered in a taskdependent fashion; however the results of these studies are inconclusive. We designed an experimental paradigm where subjects were faced with 3 tasks: one task where joint stiffness aided subjects, a second where joint stiffness hindered the subjects and a third where joint stiffness had no effect. We found that subjects did not alter their joint stiffness to perform the different tasks. Rather, they performed the tasks by voluntarily producing the appropriate torque based on visual feedback. Thus, with the paradigm used in this study, reflex stiffness was not modulated in a task-dependent manner.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2010 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC'10
Pages4914-4917
Number of pages4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010
Event2010 32nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC'10 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Duration: Aug 31 2010Sep 4 2010

Publication series

Name2010 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC'10

Other

Other2010 32nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC'10
Country/TerritoryArgentina
CityBuenos Aires
Period8/31/109/4/10

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Signal Processing
  • Health Informatics
  • Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
  • Biomedical Engineering

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