Musculoskeletal modelling simulation with optimisation to predict the morphological parameters of the calf muscle

Musculoskeletal models (MSMs) have been used to study normal and pathological gait and the effects of surgical treatment [1]. Optimisation techniques have been commonly used to determine the muscle excitations required to generate experimental kinetics and kinematics, assuming fixed key muscle morphological parameters. In this study, however, we have chosen to optimise muscle parameters within the MSM in order to match the experimental moment, given known excitations derived from EMG. Results are presented for the ankle moments in a test group of typically developing children (TD), children with cerebral palsy (CP) and idiopathic toe walkers (ITW) where calf muscle parameters were optimised.