This is a study of a method for obtaining a mathematical description of the most significant variables concerning kinematics and dynamics of human locomotion.
The method is characterized by a typical approach of system theory. It consists of an analytical procedure for the processing of data obtained by the most common experimental techniques in this area. i.e. photography for recording the movement, and the force platform for measuring the ground reactions.
The proposed mathematical algorithms have been designed to obtain the time functions of the variables cited above in an analytical form, and a measurement of the relative indefiniteness induced by experimental errors.
The results of the latter allows a critical evaluation of the experimental procedure. In particular, a maximum limit of the number of experimental data to be taken, can be evaluated.
The subsystem of the locomotor apparatus which the present work deals with, is the lower limb.
The method presented can be applied successfully to all of the gaits having a constant mean direction of progression and periodic time patterns.