Linking muscle mechanics to the metabolic cost of human hopping

Many models have been developed to predict metabolic energy expenditure based on biomechanical proxies of muscle function. However, current models may only perform well for select forms of locomotion, not only because the models are rarely rigorously tested across subtle and broad changes in locomotor task but also because previous research has not adequately characterised different forms of locomotion to account for the potential variability in muscle function and thus metabolic energy expenditure. To help to address the latter point, the present study imposed frequency and height constraints to hopping and quantified gross metabolic power as well as the activation requirements of medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF), and the work requirements of GL, SOL and VL. Gross metabolic power increased with a decrease in hop frequency and increase in hop height. There was no hop frequency or hop height effect on the mean electromyography (EMG) data of ankle musculature; however, the mean EMG of VL and RF increased with a decrease in hop frequency and that of BF increased with an increase in hop height. With a reduction in hop frequency, GL, SOL and VL fascicle shortening, fascicle shortening velocity and fascicle to MTU shortening ratio increased, whereas with an increase in hop height, only SOL fascicle shortening velocity increased. Therefore, within the constraints that we imposed, decreases in hop frequency and increases in hop height resulted in increases in metabolic power that could be explained by increases in the activation requirements of knee musculature and/or increases in the work requirements of both knee and ankle musculature.

Automated summary

Many models have been developed to predict metabolic energy expenditure based on biomechanical proxies of muscle function. However, these models have not been rigorously tested across various locomotion tasks and have not adequately characterized different forms of locomotion. In this study, frequency and height constraints were imposed on hopping, and the effects on metabolic power and muscle function were evaluated. The results showed that a decrease in hop frequency and an increase in hop height led to an increase in metabolic power, which could be explained by changes in muscle activation and work requirements.