Biomechanical Modelling Of Head-Head Load Carriage And Neuromuscular Control Of The Neck During Level Walking

Abstract

Head load carriage is a common phenomenon in some parts of the world. This is prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa where women and children are used as pedestrian load-transporters. It has also been observed that during gymnasium and a few sporting activities, experienced gymnasts carry loads or other gymnasts by placing them their heads. The neck plays a major role in supporting the head in balance while generating the controlled head movements that are essential for balance in the head load carriage. Hence in this study, a biomechanical model of the controlled human head-head load carriage system is developed. The biomechanics model of the head loading problem in this study is a type of constrained mechanical three-dimensional, matrix coefficients, multibody systems which arise in many applications like robotics, vehicle and machinery dynamics.  This governing equation was solved using Differential Transform Method (DTM) and was validated with the fourth order Runge-Kutta numerical method (RK4). Good agreements are reached between the two solutions. The effects of head mass, head load, neck mass were investigated. Other effects such as upper and lower linkage lengths were investigated in the study. As the head load increases, there were increases in both axial and angular displacement of the head and the neck motion.