Voluntary Control of Residual Antagonistic Muscles in Transtibial Amputees: Reciprocal Activation, Coactivation, and Implications for Direct Neural Control of Powered Lower Limb Prostheses

Residual ankle muscles (i.e., previously antagonistic ankle muscles) of transtibial amputees are a potential source for continuous feedforward control of powered ankle prostheses using proportional myoelectric control. The ability for transtibial amputees to use their residual ankle muscles for two control input degrees of freedom (i.e., two independent myoelectric control input sources) for direct neural control depends on the ability for...