The design of a dual, split-belt treadmill system for measurement of ground reaction forces during normal and pathological gait

This thesis concerns the design of an instrumented treadmill system for measuring ground reaction forces (GRFs), which arise from the interactions of the foot and the supporting surface during walking or running. Ground reaction forces are important in the study of gait because they reflect the effects of muscles, velocity-dependent forces, and gravity acting on the musculoskeletal system. Thus, GRFs form a major basis for clinical, analytical, qualitative, and quantitative gait analyses. Clinical applications include the physical evaluation of the characteristics of normal and pathological gait, rehabilitation assessment, and diagnosis of neuromotor and musculoskeletal disorders. The primary analytical use of GRFs is in biomechanical analysis, including musculoskeletal models and dynamic simulationsMechanical Engineerin