Evaluating anticipatory control strategies for their capability to cope with step-down perturbations in computer simulations of human walking.

ABSTRACT: Previous simulation studies investigated the role of reflexes and central pattern generators to explain the kinematic and dynamic adaptations in reaction to step-down perturbations. However, experiments also show preparatory adaptations in humans based on visual anticipation of a perturbation. In this study, we propose a high-level anticipatory strategy augmenting a low-level muscle-reflex control. This strategy directly changes the gain of the reflex control exclusively during the last contact prior to a drop in ground level. Our simulations show that especially the anticipatory reduction of soleus activity and the increase of hamstrings activity result in higher robustness. The best results were obtained when the change in stimulation of the soleus muscle occurred 300 ms after the heel s

SUBMITTER: Schreff L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9203805 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature