Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

8-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biomedical Engineering

First Advisor

Dumitru Caruntu

Second Advisor

Weiguang Yang

Third Advisor

Linfeng Wu

Abstract

This thesis investigates the biomechanical behavior of the human knee under varying conditions of motion, load, and fatigue, with a focus on clinical angle analysis and gait stability. Four studies were conducted using motion capture data and a modified Grood and Suntay Joint Coordinate System (JCS) to evaluate knee joint kinematics—specifically flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, and internal-external rotation. The first study examined the effects of incremental weight loads during isolated knee extension exercises, revealing dose-dependent increases in abduction and internal rotation that may contribute to joint stress. The second study assessed the impact of walking speed and asymmetric loading on gait, showing that altered speed and carrying a kettlebell induce measurable changes in clinical angles and stride patterns. The third study analyzed the combined effects of fatigue and asymmetric loading, finding that accumulated fatigue significantly increased flexion variability and stride instability. The final study introduced a Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)-based Gait Deviation Index (GDI) to quantify deviations in gait patterns, demonstrating its sensitivity to speed and load-induced kinematic changes across subjects. Together, these studies contribute a comprehensive understanding of how mechanical and physiological factors influence knee kinematics and gait stability, with implications for rehabilitation, injury prevention, and clinical gait assessment.

Comments

Copyright 2025 Alfirio Trejo Jr. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3253954792

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