A predictive model of joint dynamics and ground reaction force using only leg length, body mass, and walking cadence

Abstract

Reconstructing premorbid gait patterns is critical for developing personalized rehabilitation strategies and assistive devices for patients with movement disorders. To achieve this aim, a predictive model is developed to estimate the walking dynamic features with individual parameters without requiring complex gait tests. First, an empirical kinematic model predicting the joint angle on the basis of leg length and walking cadence is derived. Consequently, dynamic models for the single support phase and double support phase are established, and a linear transformation strategy is proposed in the double support phase for optimization. Using inverse dynamic approaches, the model can ultimately predict the joint angle, joint moment, and ground reaction force across the entire gait cycle using only leg length, body mass, and walking cadence. The dynamic parameters predicted with the model are compared with experimental data for validation, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.