Power as an Indicator of Co-ordination

Matt Pain Office UU1.07 E-mail: M.t.g.pain@lboro.ac.uk

Overview
Mechanical Energy Transfer Between Segments Passive Energy Transfer Power Balance into and out of a Segment Internal Work Versus External Work Some examples

Power as an Indicator of Co-ordination

Last week we looked at energy and power calculations.

Fenn's method Elftmann's method fractional approach joint work/power

Mechanical power is not the whole story but it can provide lots of useful information. Gross movement of the body occurs about the joints.

Power as an Indicator of Co-ordination

The majority of work done by or on the body is done on or by muscles moving limbs about joints.
Calculating the joint power histories will give an indicator of the joint co-ordination.

Diagram 5.6 Winter 1990

Mechanical Energy Transfer Between Segments

For a single joint with a single extensor and flexor the joint power allows us to find the muscle power.

Humans do not have multiple joints and multiple muscles for extensors and flexors about these joints.

Mechanical Energy Transfer Between Segments

Two problems:

Muscle indeterminacy - more muscles across a joint than number of joints. This is will be covered in more detail next lecture.
Energy transfer between segments - segments that touch will exert forces on each other, if there is motion this means energy transfer.

Mechanical Energy Transfer Between Segments

In its simplest form this can be considered a passive effect.

e.g. flipping book pages rapidly move your forearm with your wrist relaxed.

Passive Energy Transfer

Fi i Vi Vj j Fj

Energy going into segment i Energy going out of segment j

This is in addition to active muscle forces acting across a joint.

Power Balance into and out of a Segment

Change in energy of a segment which is made up of: Passive power flow distal end Muscle power flow distal end Passive power flow proximal end Muscle power flow proximal end

Sporting Examples

Javelin (Menzel, 1986)

Baseball pitching (Stodden et al., 2001) High front kick (Sorensen et al., 1996)

Internal Work Versus External Work

These calculations are from external measurements and so do not give the full picture. We are commonly interested in the work we can do on an outside body, thrown implement, lifting weights, jumping. But we need to do work just to make us move.

Internal Work Versus External Work

Internal Work Versus External Work

Hidden power is that which is being produced but cannot be measured by these techniques.

To find out the actual work being done by a group of muscles hidden power needs to be included.

Internal Work Versus External Work

The names you give to define these is not the important point.

Knowing that external measurements of work have to be interpreted in light of different energy usage is.

Internal Work Versus External Work

Some examples of hidden work:

Examples in different sports

Consider some sports with different goals.

What are the following events trying to maximise or minimise? If we analyse the mechanical energy and power involved how much help could we give the athlete?

Ultra long distance runner

Weightlifter

Discus thrower

Baseball pitcher

Wrestler

Synopsis

However in most sports smooth precise movements are required to make best use of the different energy transfer systems. Good technique is often subjectively thought of as being smooth or graceful and usually arises through efficient use of energy.