Validation of a Digital Twin Performing Strength Training

Summary

Background: Muscular strength training interventions have long been a cornerstone in the prevention, non-surgical management and rehabilitation of the entire spectrum of musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. The key goal of strength training, especially during rehabilitation, is to regain healthy musculoskeletal function. Yet, there remains a fundamental lack of understanding with regards to the relationship between subject-specific musculoskeletal biomechanics (i.e. multi-body dynamics function) and different types of strength training interventions because of limitations in assessing these parameters outside the research setting. Thus, clinicians, physiotherapists and coaches continue making training recommendations based on subjective and generalised guidelines, with ineffective or possibly harmful consequences for individual patients and athletes.

Goal: This project aims to advance strength training guidelines and monitoring of training safety and efficiency by means of subject-specific anatomically-based modelling, biomechanical analysis of musculoskeletal function and mobile monitoring of training volume and muscular fatigue in the athletic and recreational setting.

Method: For validation purposes, the investigators will conduct an 8-week intervention study in healthy volunteers with strength training of the key muscle-tendon groups associated with knee joint stability and relate the changes in musculoskeletal and biomechanical parameters to the training-specific parameters and muscular fatigue from mobile monitoring through correlation analysis.

Relevance: In Switzerland, more than 1.3 Mio people are members of a fitness center. Strength training is not only a cornerstone in the maintenance of fitness and rehabilitation from musculoskeletal injuries and diseases as the most frequently reported health issues.

Conditions

• Healthy

Interventions

OTHER

Strength training session

Conduct of an 6-week strength training intervention of key muscle-tendon groups associated with knee joint stability in the training-specific setting of each participant. Participants are asked to record exercise load and volume as well as monitor training-related variables and 1RM using the iOS Strength Control app. Participants perform the strength training self-directedly in their chosen fitness/training facilities as it fits into their weekly routine. Contact to the study investigator is ensured at all times in case of questions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• ZHAW School of Engineering

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Silvio Lorenzetti

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Silvio Lorenzetti, Prof. Dr. · ZHAW School of Engineering

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

20 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-01-01

Primary Completion

2025-10-31

Completion

2025-11-27

Countries

• Switzerland

Study Locations