KIN236 WA 1 9 26 17 Force Platforms as a Biomechanical Measurement Technique The science of human movement is ever developing and advancing as new measurement technologies emerge Regarding the biomechanics of kinematics and dynamics of motion force platforms provide a thorough dissection and visualization aid for the forces involved in human motion more specifically running and walking Force platforms are a measurement technique that provide information about the external ground reaction forces under each foot during movement Samadi 2014 Similar to that of the typical bathroom scale force platforms consist of a top usually metal plate and a sensor or sensors that provide an electrical output proportional to the force applied to the plate Wardoyo Hutajulu Togibasa 2016 The output force is broken down into three vector components that provide further information about the nature of the force applied These vectors are often labeled Fx Fy and Fz for the vertical horizontal and orthogonal planes respectively Tamburini Stagni Capello 2015 The application of such information is very useful to biomechanics in the analysis of gait during running and walking These ground reaction forces have can provide information regarding abnormal posture gait pattern history of injury prevention of falling of injury and much more in the world of human movement Samadi 2014 Force plates have been used for many years in physics kinetic analyses so it only makes sense that their same calculations work for human movement as it is largely based of physics principles One such physics component predominant in the use of force plates is Newton s second law Fg M g or Fy Mg where M is the mass of the body and g is the free fall acceleration of gravity Wardoyo Hutajulu Togibasa 2016 Notice that these two equations are opposites of one another this highlights the main function of a force plate The force applied to an object in this case the force plate is equal but opposite to the force that the force plate applies on the foot Wardoyo Hutajulu Togibasa 2016 A force is not constant in a movement as dynamic as a full gait cycle Therefore a force plate is able to show us the changes that occur in force throughout the process of walking or running The change in the center of mass when knees bend and stride length increases or decreases has a large impact on the forces that are generated Wardoyo Hutajulu Togibasa 2016 Above is an image Figure 3 from a research study that created their own force plate and observed the difference of force when standing still walking slowly and walking fast The image shows the wave form produced by a force plate during slow walking and fast walking Wardoyo Hutajulu Togibasa 2016 Measurement techniques have become especially critical in the analysis of kinematics and kinetics One specific measurement technology that continues to grow and develop is the use of force plates to study human motion Force plates break movement into the individual ground reaction forces that happen during movement The information gathered from these forces can be analyzed and used to gather intel on the characteristics of the subject being observed Force plates make it possible to determine gait patterns and changes in gait due to injury They can also be used to improve movement and avoid falling or injury They will continue to provide ways to improve the capabilities of researchers in the field of biomechanics References Samadi B 2014 Real time detection of reaction forces during gait on a ground equipped with a large force platform Piscataway NJ Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Conference paper 1 4 Tamburini P Stagni R Capello A 2015 Design of a novel force platform for gait analysis fem analysis Journal of Mechanics in Medicine Biology 15 2 1 6 Wardoyo S Hutajulu P T Togibasa O 2016 A development of force plate for biomechanics analysis of standing and walking Journal of Physics Conference Series 739 1 4