Evaluation and validation of musculoskeletal force feasible set indices: Application to manual wheelchair propulsion

The aim of this work was to assess handrim wheelchair propulsion effectiveness, related to the applied forces on the handrim, through the force feasible set. For a given posture of the upper-limb, it represents the set of isometric forces that can be applied on the handrim in any direction. The force feasible set was predicted from a musculoskeletal model of the upper-limb and trunk (10 degrees of freedom and 56 muscles). The aim of the first part of the study was to compare the force feasible set prediction and the force currently applied on the handrim. The second part proposes the creation of a new index called “Musculoskeletal Postural Performance Index” (MPPI) derived from the force feasible set and its comparison with the Mechanical Efficiency Force (MEF). These comparisons were conducted at 60, 80, 100, 120 and 140% of the Freely Chosen Frequency at submaximal and maximal conditions on 5 different phases of the push phase. The values of the MPPI were significantly correlated with those of the MEF. During the course of the push phase, the orientation of the force feasible set main axis approached that of the measured force and the force effectiveness evaluated through the MPPI increased.