Mechanography

Mechanography (also referred to as ''jumping mechanography'' or ''Muscle Mechanography''Taani MH, Kovach CR, Buehring B: ''Muscle Mechanography: A Novel Method to Measure Muscle Function in Older Adults.'', Res Gerontol Nurs, 10(1):17-24, 2017; ) is a medical diagnostic measurement method for motion analysis and assessment of muscle function and muscle power by means of physical parameters. The method is based on measuring the variation of the ground reaction forces over the time for motion patterns close to typical every day movements (e.g. chair rise or jumps). From these ground reaction forces centre of gravity related physical parameters like relative maximum forces, velocity, power output, kinetic energy, potential energy, height of jump or whole body stiffness are calculated. If the ground reaction forces are measured separately for left and right leg in addition body imbalances during the motions can be analysed. This enables for example to document the results of therapy.Fricke O, Witzel C, Schickendantz S, Sreeram N, Brockmeier K, Schoenau E: ''Mechanographic characteristics of adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease'', Eur J Pediatr. 2007 May 22, Rendenbach C, Kohlmeier C, Suling A, Assaf AT, Catala-Lehnen P, Amling M, Heiland M, Riecke B: ''Prospective biomechanical analysis of donor-site morbidity after fibula free flap.'', J Craniomaxillofac Surg, 44(2)::155-9, 2016; The same methodology can also be used for gait analysisVeilleux LN, Robert M, Ballaz L, Lemay M, Rauch F: ''Gait analysis using a force-measuring gangway: Intrasession repeatability in healthy adults'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 11(1):27-33, 2011; Veilleux LN, Cheung M, Ben Amor M, Rauch F: ''Abnormalities in Muscle Density and Muscle Function in Hypophosphatemic Rickets.'', J Clin Endocrinol Metab, ():, 2012; or for analysis of stair climbing,Saxer S, Speich R, Toigo M, Mueller SM, Ulrich Somaini S: ''Reliability of parameters during stair ascent measured with Leonardo Mechanograph((R)) Stair A in healthy subjects.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 15(3):257-63, 2015; grip strengthLang I, Busche P, Rakhimi N, Rawer R, Martin DD.: ''Mechanography in childhood: references for grip force, multiple one-leg hopping force and whole body stiffness.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 13(2)::227-35., 2013; and Posturography.Stolzenberg N, Belavý DL, Rawer R, Felsenberg D.: ''Vibration or Balance Training on Neuromuscular Performance in Osteopenic Women.'', Int J Sports Med., 34(11):956-62, 2013; Due to the utilization of every-day movements reproducibility is high over a wide age rangeMatheson LA, Duffy S, Maroof A, Gibbons R, Duffy C, Roth J: ''Intra- and inter-rater reliability of jumping mechanography muscle function assessments.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 13(4):480-6, 2013;
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Fields of application

Typical fields of applications of Mechanography are in the field of geriatricsDietzel R, Gast U, Heine T, Felsenberg D, Armbrecht G: ''Cross-sectional assessment of neuromuscular function using mechanography in women and men aged 20-85 years.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 13(3):274-81, 2013; Felsenberg D., Runge M.: ''Osteoporosis in Men, Chapter 52: Exercise programs for Pateints with osteoporosis'', Osteoporosis in Men, :635-652, 2010Belavy DL, Armbrecht G, Blenk T, Bock O, Borst H, Kocakaya E, Luhn F, Rantalainen T, Rawer R, Tomasius F, Willnecker J, Felsenberg D: ''Greater association of peak neuromuscular performance with cortical bone geometry, bone mass and bone strength than bone density: A study in 417 older women.'', Bone, 83:119-126, 2015; Runge M, Rittweger J, Russo CR, Schiessl H, Felsenberg D: ''Is muscle power output a key factor in the age-related decline in physical performance? A comparison of muscle cross section, chair-rising test and jumping power'', Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2004 Nov;24(6):335-40, Buehring B, Hind J, Fidler E, Krueger D, Binkley N, Robbins J: ''Tongue strength is associated with jumping mechanography performance and handgrip strength but not with classic functional tests in older adults.'', J Am Geriatr Soc, 61(3):418-22, 2013; Buehring B, Krueger D, Binkley N: ''Jumping Mechanography: A Potential Tool for Sarcopenia Evaluation in Older Individuals'', J Clin Densitom., 2010; Buehring B, Valentine S, Woods A, Checovich M, Krueger D, Binkley N: ''Jumping Mechanography Safely Evaluates Muscle Performance in Older Adults'', ASBMR 2008, :, 2008Mueller SM, Immoos M, Anliker E, Drobnjak S, Boutellier U, Toigo M: ''Reduced bone strength and muscle force in women 27 years after anorexia nervosa.'', J Clin Endocrinol Metab, ():jc20151011, 2015; Buehring B, Krueger D, Fidler E, Gangnon R, Heiderscheit B, Binkley N: ''Reproducibility of jumping mechanography and traditional measures of physical and muscle function in older adults.'', Osteoporos Int, 26(2):819-25, 2015; Dionyssiotis Y, Galanos A, Michas G, Trovas G, Lyritis GP: ''Assessment of musculoskeletal system in women with jumping mechanography'', International Journal of Women’s Health, 1:113–118, 2009Mueller SM, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Toigo M: ''Physiological alterations after a marathon in the first 90-year-old male finisher: case study.'', SpringerPlus, 3():608, 2014; Buehring B, Fidler E, Libber J, Krueger D, Binkley N: ''Muscle Function, but Not Muscle Mass, is Related to Balance Confidence in Older Adults'', ISCD, :, 2012 especially in the field of SarcopeniaDietzel R, Felsenberg D, Armbrecht G: ''Mechanography performance tests and their association with sarcopenia, falls and impairment in the activities of daily living - a pilot cross-sectional study in 293 older adults.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 15(3):249-56, 2015; but also for Master Athletes.Gast U, Belavy DL, Armbrecht G, Kusy K, Lexy H, Rawer R, Rittweger J, Winwood K, Zielinski J, Felsenberg D: ''Bone density and neuromuscular function in older competitive athletes depend on running distance.'', Osteoporos Int, 24(7):2033-42, 2013;
Mechanography is also used frequently in pediatrics for basic research ins muscle function and growth,Fricke O, Stabrey A, Tutlewski B, Schoenau E: ''Mechanographic analyses in pediatrics: allometric scaling of 'peak jump force' and its relationship to 'maximal isometric grip force' in childhood and adolescence'', Klin Padiatr., 221(7):436-9, 2009; Richter A, Lang D, Strutzenberger G, Schwameder H: ''EFFECT OF SPORT ACTIVITY ON COUNTER MOVEMENT JUMP PARAMETERS IN JUVENILE STUDENTS'', ISBS, Conference Proceedings Archive, 27 International Conference on Biomechanics in Sports (2009), :, 2009Fricke O, Schoenau E: ''Examining the developing skeletal muscle: Why, what and how'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 5(3):225-31, 2005; Binkley TL, Specker BL: ''Muscle-bone relationships in the lower leg of healthy pre-pubertal females and males'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 8(3):239-43, 2008; Hockett CW, Eelloo J, Huson SM, Roberts SA, Berry JL, Chaloner C, Rawer R, Mughal MZ.: ''Vitamin D status and muscle function in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 13(1):111-119, 2013; Pouliot-Laforte A, Veilleux LN, Rauch F, Lemay M: ''Validity of an accelerometer as a vertical ground reaction force measuring device in healthy children and adolescents and in children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta type I.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 14(2):155-61, 2014; Fricke O, Weidler J, Tutlewski B, Schoenau E: ''Mechanography - a new device for the assessment of muscle function in pediatrics'', Pediatr Res. 2006 Jan;59(1):46-9. Epub 2005 Dec 2, Veilleux LN, Rauch F, Lemay M, Ballaz L: ''Agreement between vertical ground reaction force and ground reaction force vector in five common clinical tests.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 12(4):219-23, 2012; Veilleux LN, Rauch F: ''Reproducibility of jumping mechanography in healthy children and adults'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 10(4):256-66, 2010; reference DataBusche P, Rawer R, Rakhimi N, Lang I, Martin DD.: ''Mechanography in childhood: references for force and power in counter movement jumps and chair rising tests.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 13(2)::213-26., 2013; Sumnik Z, Matyskova J, Hlavka Z, Durdilova L, Soucek O, Zemkova D: ''Reference data for jumping mechanography in healthy children and adolescents aged 6-18 years.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 13(3):259-73, 2013; as well as in specific diseases like Prader–Willi syndrome,Edouard T, Deal C, Van Vliet G, Gaulin N, Moreau A, Rauch F, Alos N: ''Muscle-Bone Characteristics in Children with Prader–Willi syndrome.'', J Clin Endocrinol Metab, ():, 2011; Obesity,Vandewalle S, Taes Y, Van Helvoirt M, Debode P, Herregods N, Ernst C, Roef G, Van Caenegem E, Roggen I, Verhelle F, Kaufman JM, De Schepper J.: ''Bone Size and Bone Strength Are Increased in Obese Male Adolescents.'', J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 98(7):3019-28, 2013; Rauch R, Veilleux LN, Rauch F, Bock D, Welisch E, Filler G, Robinson T, Burrill E, Norozi K: ''Muscle force and power in obese and overweight children.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 12(2):80-3, 2012; Osteogenesis ImperfectaVeilleux LN, Lemay M, Pouliot-Laforte A, Cheung MS, Glorieux FH, Rauch F: ''Muscle anatomy and dynamic muscle function in osteogenesis imperfecta type I.'', J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 99(2):E356-62, 2014; Pouliot-Laforte A, Veilleux LN, Rauch F, Lemay M: ''Physical activity in youth with osteogenesis imperfecta type I.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 15(2):171-6, 2015; Plante L, Veilleux LN, Glorieux FH, Weiler H, Rauch F: ''Effect of high-dose vitamin D supplementation on bone density in youth with osteogenesis imperfecta: A randomized controlled trial.'', Bone, 86():36-42, 2016; Veilleux LN, Pouliot-Laforte A, Lemay M, Cheung MS, Glorieux FH, Rauch F: ''The functional muscle-bone unit in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta type I.'', Bone, 79():52-57, 2015; and cerebral palsy.Gusso S, Munns CF, Colle P, Derraik JG, Biggs JB, Cutfield WS, Hofman PL: ''Effects of whole-body vibration training on physical function, bone and muscle mass in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy.'', Sci Rep, 3;6:22518, 2016;
In opposite to many other established measurements methods like Chair Rising Test, Stand-up and Go test and others the maximum power output relative to body weight during a jump of maximum height measured by Mechanography is a much better reproducible and does not have a training effect even when repeated more frequently.

Based on this test (maximum relative power output of a jump as high as possible) Runge et al. and Schönau et al. defined reference values of a fit population in order to match the individual power output in relation to bodyweight, age and gender TsubakiTsubaki A, Kubo M, Kobayashi R, Jigami H, Takahashi HE: ''Normative values for maximum power during motor function assessment of jumping among physically active Japanese'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 9(4):263-7, 2009; Tsubaki A, Kubo M, Kobayashi R, Jigami H, Takahashi HE: ''Age-Related Changes in Physical Function in Community-Dwelling People Aged 50-79 Years'', J. Phys. Ther. Sci, 22/1:23-27, 2010 showed when using identical selection criteria as Runge that the relative Power of the Japanese population is identical with western European population which delimits the need for localized reference data.
Runge et al. also showed the interrelation between the measured individual power output and the neuromuscular caused fall risk.Runge M, Hunter G: ''Determinants of musculoskeletal frailty and the risk of falls in old age'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2006 Apr-Jun;6(2):167-73,

Due to this objective and highly reproducible quantification of typical every day movements by means of physical parameters the Mechanography is well suited to document the physical state of a personWard KA, Das G, Berry JL, Roberts SA, Rawer R, Adams JE, Mughal Z: ''Vitamin D status and muscle function in post-menarchal adolescent girls'', J Clin Endocrinol Metab., :, 2008; Yanovich R, Evans R, Israeli E, Constantini N, Sharvit N, Merkel D, Epstein Y, Moran DS: ''Differences in physical fitness of male and female recruits in gender-integrated army basic training'', Med Sci Sports Exerc., 40(11 Suppl):S654-9, 2008; as well as the effects of training or therapy.Baceviciene R, Valonyte L, Ceponis J: ''The effect of physiotherapy in addition to testosterone replacement therapy on the efficiency of the motor system in men with hypogonadism.'', Medicina (Kaunas), 49(2):71-7, 2013; Rittweger J, Felsenberg D, Maganaris C, Ferretti JL: ''Vertical jump performance after 90 days bed rest with and without flywheel resistive exercise, including a 180 days follow-up'', Eur J Appl Physiol., 100(4):427-36, 2007; Rittweger J, di Prampero PE, Maffulli N, Narici MV: ''Sprint and endurance power and ageing: an analysis of master athletic world records'', Proc Biol Sci., 276(1657):683-9, 2009; Item F, Denkinger J, Fontana P, Weber M, Boutellier U, Toigo M: ''Combined Effects of Whole-Body Vibration, Resistance Exercise, and Vascular Occlusion on Skeletal Muscle and Performance.'', Int J Sports Med, 32(10):781-7, 2011; Because of this it is also one of the standard measurements in recent and current Bed Rest Studies of the European Space Agency (ESA).Buehring B, Belavy DL, Michaelis I, Gast U, Felsenberg D, Rittweger J: ''Changes in lower extremity muscle function after 56 days of bed rest.'', J Appl Physiol, 111(1):87-94, 2011; Clement G, Bareille MP, Goel R, Linnarsson D, Mulder E, Paloski WH, Rittweger J, Wuyts FL, Zange J: ''Effects of five days of bed rest with intermittent centrifugation on neurovestibular function.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 15(1):60-8, 2015; Mulder E, Frings-Meuthen P, von der Wiesche M, Clement G, Linnarsson D, Paloski WH, Wuyts FL, Zange J, Rittweger J: ''Study protocol, implementation, and verification of a short versatile upright exercise regime during 5 days of bed rest.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 14(1):111-23, 2014; and the Mars500 Mission.Belavy DL, Gast U, Daumer M, Fomina E, Rawer R, Schiessl H, Schneider S, Schubert H, Soaz C, Felsenberg D: ''Progressive Adaptation in Physical Activity and Neuromuscular Performance during 520d Confinement.'', PLoS One, 8(3):e60090, 2013;

Mechanography has also been used to explore the relation between muscle and bone. According to the Mechanostat theorem muscle function influences bone growth. By combining functional measurement methods like Mechanography and quantitative computer tomographic measurements analysing bone density, geometry and strength this relationship can be assessed.Anliker E, Dick C, Rawer R, Toigo M: ''Effects of jumping exercise on maximum ground reaction force and bone in 8- to 12-year-old boys and girls: a 9-month randomized controlled trial.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 12(2):56-67, 2012; Anliker E, Toigo M: ''Functional assessment of the muscle-bone unit in the lower leg.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 12(2):46-55, 2012; Anliker E, Rawer R, Boutellier U, Toigo M: ''Maximum Ground Reaction Force in Relation to Tibial Bone Mass in Children and Adults.'', Med Sci Sports Exerc, (43):2102-9, 2011; Verroken C, Zmierczak HG, Goemaere S, Kaufman JM, Lapauw B: ''Association of Jumping Mechanography-Derived Indices of Muscle Function with Tibial Cortical Bone Geometry.'', Calcif Tissue Int, 98():446–455, 2016; Siglinsky E, Krueger D, Ward RE, Caserotti P, Strotmeyer ES, Harris TB, Binkley N, Buehring B: ''Effect of age and sex on jumping mechanography and other measures of muscle mass and function.'', J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact, 15(4):301-8, 2015; Soucek O, Matyskova J, Anliker E, Toigo M, Hlavka Z, Lebl J, Sumnik Z: ''The muscle-bone interaction in Turner syndrome.'', Bone, 74C():160-165, 2015; Hardcastle SA, Gregson CL, Rittweger J, Crabtree N, Ward K, Tobias JH: ''Jump power and force have distinct associations with cortical bone parameters: findings from a population enriched by individuals with high bone mass.'', J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 99(1):266-75, 2014;
In sports research Mechanography has been used to assess principle training effects.Schoser B: ''Muscle histology changes after short term vibration training in healthy controls.'', Acta Myol, 34(2-3):133-8, 2016; Anliker E, Sonderegger A, Toigo M.: ''Side-to-Side Differences in the Lower Leg Muscle-Bone Unit in Male Soccer Players.'', Med Sci Sports Exerc., 45(8):1545-1552, 2013;

Mechanography Devices

The standard Mechanography measurement devices as used in all referenced articles are the Leonardo Mechanograph™ systems supplied by Novotec Medical GmbH, Pforzheim, Germany.

Resources

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