18th International Research/Expert Conference
In this paper an automatised method for kinematic analysis of human body segments in CAD environment has been established. 3D coordinates of marked points on lower extremities recorded by the ELITE measuring system and Kistler force plate were the input data for the computer simulation, which calculates and reconstructs the spatial orientation and trajectories of human body joints. Within this research, special attention is focused on the study of locomotion during energy-demanding movements like stair climbing, as an activity that requires large amount of metabolic energy and thus represents great difficulty in performing daily activities for people with disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Using this technique, the characteristic percentages of stance period during stair climbing have been determined, at which the knee joint makes a characteristic loop on its trajectory, in order to allow the conversion of muscle energy into potential energy when lifting the body to a higher level of the next stair.