Lauflabor Locomotion Laboratory, Centre for Cognitive Science, Institute of Sport Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
J R Soc Interface. 2020 Feb;17(163):20180413. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0413. Epub 2020 Feb 26.
Leg morphology is an important outcome of evolution. A remarkable morphological leg feature is the existence of biarticular muscles that span adjacent joints. Diverse studies from different fields of research suggest a less coherent understanding of the muscles' functionality in cyclic, sagittal plane locomotion. We structured this review of biarticular muscle function by reflecting biomechanical template models, human experiments and robotic system designs. Within these approaches, we surveyed the contribution of biarticular muscles to the locomotor subfunctions (, and ). While mono- and biarticular muscles do not show physiological differences, the reviewed studies provide evidence for complementary and locomotor subfunction-specific contributions of mono- and biarticular muscles. In , biarticular muscles coordinate joint movements, improve economy (e.g. by transferring energy) and secure the zig-zag configuration of the leg against joint overextension. These commonly known functions are extended by an explicit role of biarticular muscles in controlling the angular momentum for and . Human-like leg arrangement and intrinsic (compliant) properties of biarticular structures improve the controllability and energy efficiency of legged robots and assistive devices. Future interdisciplinary research on biarticular muscles should address their role for sensing and control as well as non-cyclic and/or non-sagittal motions, and non-static moment arms.
腿部形态是进化的重要结果。一个显著的腿部形态特征是存在跨越相邻关节的双关节肌肉。来自不同研究领域的多样化研究表明，人们对双关节肌肉在周期性、矢状面运动中的功能的理解不太一致。我们通过反映生物力学模板模型、人体实验和机器人系统设计，对双关节肌肉功能进行了综述。在这些方法中，我们调查了双关节肌肉对运动子功能（推进、稳定和提升）的贡献。虽然单关节和双关节肌肉在生理学上没有差异，但综述研究提供了证据表明单关节和双关节肌肉在互补和运动子功能特异性方面的贡献。在推进中，双关节肌肉协调关节运动，提高经济性（例如通过能量转移），并确保腿部在关节过度伸展时呈之字形配置。这些众所周知的功能通过双关节肌肉在控制角动量方面的明确作用得到扩展，用于 和 。类似人类的腿部排列和双关节结构的固有（顺应性）特性提高了腿部机器人和辅助设备的可控性和能量效率。未来关于双关节肌肉的跨学科研究应该解决它们在传感和控制以及非周期性和/或非矢状面运动以及非静态力臂方面的作用。
