Musculoskeletal modeling to predict and reduce Antetrior Cruciate Ligament injury during single leg drop jump activity: Synergistic muscle co-activation approach

This paper presents a `drop jump' modeling to study the effect of synergistic muscle activation on controlling Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. ACL injuries are mostly caused during high impact loading. A full body musculoskeletal model with knee ligaments have been developed in `OpenSim platform' to simulate ACL injury during drop jump activity. The model is used to quantify the effect of change in muscle activation on different kinetic and kinematic parameters, which are associated with ACL injury. A neuromusculoskeletal controller have been designed which selects optimal muscle activation of Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius and Tibilias anterior muscle group so as to reduce the chance of ACL injury and ankle inversion risk while jumping from elevated platforms. The OpenSim model along with the neuro-muscular controller forms an injury `predict-adapt' system, which can be useful in designing specific training sessions for athletics or for planning personalized rehabilitation therapy.