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A Simple Method for Measuring Lower Limb Stiffness in Hopping

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Biomechanics of Training and Testing

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Abstract

Lower limb stiffness is of great of interest to the scientific and sporting communities, given its implication in sporting performance and in musculoskeletal injury risk. In the literature, lower limb stiffness has been extensively studied during hopping, as it constitutes a simple bouncing gait. Characterization of lower limb stiffness in hopping is commonly based on a biomechanical model called the “spring-mass model”. This model assimilates the whole-body to an oscillating system consisting of a mass supported by a single spring, which represents the mechanical behaviour of the lower limbs during the ground contact phase of hopping. The stiffness of the spring, referred to as “leg spring”, represents an overall stiffness of the musculoskeletal system of the lower limbs. In this chapter, we will describe the biomechanical aspects related to this concept of leg stiffness in hopping and we will present a simple method for measuring it. This method enables the calculation of leg stiffness from just the body mass of the individual and the contact and flight times during hopping, both of which may be obtained with simple technical equipment. This simple method may be particularly advantageous for assessing leg stiffness in a field environment, as well as in laboratory conditions.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Although vertical hopping may also be performed on one leg, we will only address aspects related to two-legged hopping in this chapter.

  2. 2.

    An elastic body refers to a deformable material body that returns to its original shape and size when the forces causing the deformation are removed.

  3. 3.

    The term “linear” means that the deformation of the spring is linearly proportional to the force applied.

  4. 4.

    Natural frequency is the frequency at which the spring-mass system oscillates freely, i.e. in the absence of any external force, once set into motion. This natural frequency depends on the mass and the stiffness of the system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Activity and Sports Science - IRISSE EA4075, University of La Réunion, 117 Rue Du Général Ailleret, 97430, Le Tampon, La Réunion, France

    Teddy Caderby & Georges Dalleau

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  1. Teddy Caderby
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  2. Georges Dalleau
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Correspondence to Georges Dalleau .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Nice, Nice, France

    Jean-Benoit Morin

  2. Laboratoire Inter-universitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Université de Savoie Mont Blanc, Chambéry, France

    Pierre Samozino

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Caderby, T., Dalleau, G. (2018). A Simple Method for Measuring Lower Limb Stiffness in Hopping. In: Morin, JB., Samozino, P. (eds) Biomechanics of Training and Testing. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05633-3_6

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