Winterthur/Pisa - The Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) is working with the Italian Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa to develop innovative muscle models for the shoulder joint. The research group’s silicon muscle should help to improve medical treatment of shoulder problems.The Institute of Mechanical Systems (IMES) at ZHAW and the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa are collaborating on innovative muscle models that can be used to experimentally test natural joints and implants. The project is primarily focused on the shoulder joint. “From a biomechanical perspective, the shoulder joint is far more complex than the hip or knee”, comments Molly Abraham, a research assistant at IMES specializing in biomechanical engineering, in a corresponding statement issued by ZHAW. “Muscles are crucial to joint function in the shoulder. The deltoid muscle, being the strongest muscle in the shoulder area, plays a decisive role in movement control”, she adds.The shoulder simulator developed by the researchers consists of a shoulder blade, joint and upper arm. At its core is a silicone replica of the deltoid muscle, connected via cables to the joint’s motors. Other shoulder muscles are simulated by shoelaces connected to motors. “Since the start of the project, we have continued to develop the muscle model, bringing it closer to physiological conditions”, Abraham explains.In this project, researchers investigated how changes in the volume of the deltoid muscle can reduce the forces required for movement. The findings could contribute to improving assessments of surgeries, implants and rehab strategies. (ICE BERNA)

Fonte notizia: economico pro