Mechanical behaviour of the human body subject to under-sole impact forces

The primary aim of this research is to investigate the behaviour of the human musculo-skeletal system when it impacts with a gymnastic surface. This work is only interested in the study of the contact by the foot onto a gymnastic surface, and the subsequent distribution of force through the body. A mathematical model of the human musculo-skeletal system is built, and this forms the basis for the investigation of the distribution of forces through the human body following contact by the foot with the ground. The major facets of this model are : - a large displacement, dynamics analysis of the human skeletal system, - an effective muscle model which provides the force input to the human skeletal system, - the mathematical modelling of the gymnastic surface, and - a suitable strategy to be used by the central nervous system to control the movement of the body. Results such as muscle fibre stresses, tendon stresses, bone forces and joint forces are presented. These results are compared with the ultimate breaking stresses for the respective material.