A hybrid approach to stress analysis in skeletal systems

Provides a continuum analysis of skeletal elastic structures in which loading conditions are derived from neural-musculotendon dynamics. Forward dynamic simulations of human motion are based on an ensemble of articulating segments controlled by Hill-type musculotendon actuators. The joint torques and reaction forces as predicted by this analysis determine loading conditions for the stress analysis of the segmental links which are modeled as hybrid parameter systems. This approach accounts for both the rigid body motions of the articulating links and the elastic deformations that represent the continuum effects in the bone. Although the methods in the paper are readily extended to general multi-link segmental models, simulations for the arm-shoulder complex are presented in order to illustrate the method