Abstract
Expenditure of energy under several simultaneous forms (mechanical, chemical, etc.) is associated with all muscular activity. The energy is directly related to what is commonly called exertion or effort. This paper defines “muscular effort” quantitatively in terms of some of the elements of the dynamics of the human (and animal) body. It postulates that in all likelihood the individual will, consciously or otherwise, determine his motion (or his posture, if at rest) in such a manner as to reduce his total muscular effort to a minimum consistent with imposed conditions, or “constraints”.
The principle, formulated in mathematical terms, is sufficient to ascribe to the moments at all body joints—a matter generally of free choice on the part of the individual—their most likely magnitudes. It therefore renders the equations of human (and animal) motion determinate within this context. The paper also describes briefly an iteration method for the solution of these equations, once they have been made determinate. A simple illustrative application of the principle is included.
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Nubar, Y., Contini, R. A minimal principle in biomechanics. Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics 23, 377–391 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02476493
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02476493