Accuracy of Ground Reaction Force and Muscle Activation Prediction in a Child-Adapted Musculoskeletal Model

(1) Background: Significant advances in digital modelling worldwide have been attributed to the practical application of digital musculoskeletal (MS) models in clinical practice. However, the vast majority of MS models are designed to assess adults’ mobility, and the range suitable for children is very limited. (2) Methods: Seventeen healthy and 4 cerebral palsy (CP) children were recruited for the gait measurements. Surface electromyography (EMG) and ground reaction forces (GRFs) were acquired simultaneously. The MS model of the adult was adapted to the child and simulated in AnyBody. The differences between measured and MS model-estimated GRFs and muscle activations were evaluated using the following methods: the root-mean-square error (RMSE); the Pearson coefficient r; statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis; the coincidence of muscle activity. (3) Results: For muscle activity, the RMSE ranged from 10.4% to 35.3%, the mismatch varied between 16.4% and 30.5%, and the coincidence ranged between 50.7% and 68.4%; the obtained strong or very strong correlations between the measured and model-calculated GRFs, with RMSE values in the y and z axes ranged from 7.1% to 17.5%. (4) Conclusions: Child-adapted MS model calculated muscle activations and GRFs with sufficient accuracy, so it is suitable for practical use in both healthy children and children with limited mobility.