What the %PCSA? Addressing Diversity in Lower-Limb Musculoskeletal Models: Age- and Sex-related Differences in PCSA and Muscle Mass

Abstract: Musculoskeletal (MSK) models offer a non-invasive way to understand biomechanical loads on joints and tendons, which are difficult to measure directly. Variations in muscle strength, especially relative differences between muscles, significantly impact model outcomes. Typically, scaled generic MSK models use maximum isometric forces that are not adjusted for different demographics, raising concerns about their accuracy. This review provides an overview on experimentally derived strength parameters, including physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA), muscle mass (Mm), and relative muscle mass (%Mm), which is the relative distribution of muscle mass across the leg. We analysed differences by age and sex, and compared open-source lower limb MSK model parameters with experimental data from 57 studies. Our dataset, with records dating back to 1884, shows that uniformly increasing all maximum isometric forces in MSK models does not capture key muscle ratio differences due to age and sex. Males have a higher proportion of muscle mass in the rectus femoris and semimembranosus muscles, while females have a greater relative muscle mass in the pelvic (gluteus maximus and medius) and ankle muscles (tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, and extensor digitorum longus). Older adults have a higher relative muscle mass in the gluteus medius, while younger individuals show more in the gastrocnemius. Current MSK models do not accurately represent muscle mass distribution for specific age or sex groups, and none of them accurately reflect female muscle mass distribution. Further research is needed to explore musculotendon age- and sex differences.