bioengineering

Article
Influence of Different Load Conditions on Lower Extremity
Biomechanics during the Lunge Squat in Novice Men
Lidong Gao 1 , Zhenghui Lu 1 , Minjun Liang 1,2, *, Julien S. Baker 3 and Yaodong Gu 1,4, *

1 Faculty of Sports Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; [email protected] (L.G.);
[email protected] (Z.L.)
2 Department of Physical and Health Education, Udon Thani Rajabhat University, Udon Thani 41000, Thailand
3 Center for Health and Exercise Science Research, Department of Sport and Physical Education,
Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong; [email protected]
4 Savaria Institute of Technology, Eötvös Loránd University, H-9700 Szombathely, Hungary
* Correspondence: [email protected] (M.L.); [email protected] (Y.G.)

Abstract: Objective: The lunge squat is one of the exercises to strengthen the lower limbs, however,
there is little evidence of the effects of different equipment. The purpose of this study was to
investigate the biomechanical effects of different types of equipment and loads on the lunge squat’s
effect on the lower limbs. Methods: Fourteen male fitness novices participated in the experiment.
Kinematics and kinetics in the sagittal plane using dumbbells, barbells, and weighted vests were
measured using OpenSim. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA and one-dimensional statistical
parametric mapping were used in the statistical analysis (SPM1D). Results: Range of motion (ROM)
change in the knee joint was more obvious when using a barbell, whereas ROM when using a
dumbbell was minimal. Compared to other joints, the joint moment at the hip joint was the largest
and changed more significantly with increasing weight-bearing intensity, and the change was more
pronounced with the dumbbell. For the center of pressure (COP) overall displacement, the dumbbell
Citation: Gao, L.; Lu, Z.; Liang, M.; produced a smaller range of displacement. Conclusions: Dumbbells are suggested for male beginners
Baker, J.S.; Gu, Y. Influence of to improve stability, barbells for the more experienced, and a low-weighted vest may be more
Different Load Conditions on Lower appropriate for those with knee pain.
Extremity Biomechanics during the
Lunge Squat in Novice Men. Keywords: lunge squat; kinematic; kinetics; weight bearing; OpenSim
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272. https://
doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9070272

Academic Editors: Rui Zhang and

Wei-Hsun Tai 1. Introduction

Received: 8 May 2022

The lunge squat is becoming increasingly popular as a strength training exercise
Accepted: 20 June 2022
because of its safety and feasibility [1,2]. Performing the lunge squat requires both feet to be
Published: 22 June 2022
placed on the ground. This can also be a suitable exercise for people with poor lower limb
balance [3]. The lunge squat is also a common position used in many sports, and a suitable
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral
lunge training program is important to improve athletic performance and rehabilitation
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
after surgery [4].
published maps and institutional affil-
As a closed-chain exercise modality [4–7], the lunge squat is performed by mobilizing
iations.
multiple joints in a coordinated movement. It improves body coordination and has a
positive effect on the training of the lower limb and hip muscles [8]. The lunge squat also
plays a key role in rehabilitation exercises used for static and dynamic joint balance [1,8].
Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.
Therefore, the action is often used in clinical settings, such as rehabilitation following
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery [4,9] and as an exercise prescription
This article is an open access article for fall prevention exercises [2]. Furthermore, because of the strengths and weaknesses
distributed under the terms and in these areas that have been associated with injury development [10–13], postoperative
conditions of the Creative Commons recovery of the hip and knee joints should be given particular priority. The strength and
Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// endurance of the hip muscles, on the other hand, are critical for injury prevention, gait
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ correction, pain alleviation, and improved athletic performance [14–17]. For example,
4.0/). strengthening the gluteus medius has been proven to be helpful in functional recovery and

Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272. https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9070272 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/bioengineering

Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 2 of 13

pain reduction in patients after knee meniscus surgery [15]. In addition, maintaining the
gluteus maximus muscle helps reduce the incidence of low back pain and disability [16].
Because of the better training effect on the large muscle groups of the lower limbs, the
lunge squat is an exercise that requires physical strength and muscular endurance [18]. It is
worth noting that the lunge squat effectively increases the strength of the hip, knee, and
ankle joints, as well as the quadriceps [8,19]. In addition, increasing the muscle activity
ratio between the medial femoral and lateral femoral muscles through effective exercise
maintains strength balance between the right and left muscles around the knee joint [8,20].
A study demonstrated that the lunge effectively improves muscle strength and balance
in the lower limbs [3]. The hip muscles’ activation degree significantly affects the ability
of the quadriceps and leg muscles to generate force or resist impact during jumping [21].
Additionally, improved hip muscle function may help to prevent common lower limb
problems such as anterior cruciate ligament injuries [6]. Farrokhi et al. [22] found that when
performing a forward lunge with a more forward-leaning trunk, the extensor impulse and
electromyography of the hip joint were significantly increased, PFA was greater than in
upright lunges, and hip extensors were enhanced more in forward trunk lunges.
Adding greater weights is the most popular and important method of resistance
training for athletes to improve athletic performance [23]. Compared to the ankle and
hip joints, it was found that the lunge squat relies more on the knee joints. In addition,
the increased external weight causes more mechanical work to be performed at the hip
and ankle joints [9]. At the same time, differences in body posture and changes in stride
length can affect the biomechanical changes of each joint during the lunge squat. Previous
studies have found that increasing the dominant leg’s tibia angle to the ground resulted in
a smaller range of motion (ROM) in the anterior knee and a larger ROM in the posterior
knee and hip. Meanwhile, as the tibial angle increases, the flexion moment of the anterior
leg knee and anterior leg hip decreases, but the flexion moment of the anterior hip joint
increases as stride length increases [24]. It has also been observed that muscle activation
was significantly higher in the weight-bearing condition than in the self-weight condition
when only using barbells, dumbbells, weighted vests, and kettlebells. Quadriceps and
hamstring activity were significantly higher in the lunge-step exercise than in the deep
squat. However, Wu et al. [4] argued that muscle activation was not affected by changes
in weight-bearing equipment during lunge-stepping, but in their study, the subjects were
active and only the muscle activation level was studied. Other aspects of biomechanics were
not addressed, such as maximum peak angle and peak moment. Choosing the right type of
load condition improves the exerciser’s results [19]. In addition, compared to the deep squat,
the lunge squat requires more balance due to the movement of the center of gravity on the
ground. The external force applied to the body also follows the changes in force, causing the
mobilization of many muscles to maintain body stability [8]. Experienced fitness enthusiasts
demonstrate greater muscular strength and better joint coordination, producing higher
power and utilizing muscle force generation through joint coordination [25]. Whereas for
fitness novices, muscle imbalance and poor body coordination, combined with a tendency
to lean forward during the lunge, increases the shear force at the knee joint, increasing the
risk of injury [26,27]. Fitness instructors should develop the most suitable lunge exercise
program for fitness participants based on experience.
A large number of studies have focused on different exercise types, such as comparing
biomechanical changes and muscle activation in the deep squat, single-leg squat, and lunge
squat [4,5,8,10,18,24,28–30]. Some studies have focused on the effects of different postures,
such as the degree of inclination of the dominant calf and lunge step length [22,24,31,32].
All of these studies used load weight fixing in these tests. In contrast, Bryan [9] and Nadza-
lan [7] did a longitudinal study using weights, comparing changes in the hip, knee, and
ankle at different load intensities while focusing on young people. With the improvement of
young people’s living standards and health awareness, an increasing number of males are
concerned about their physical development [33] and they want to develop their muscles
using scientific perspectives, relying not only on subjective experience in selecting exercise
 improvement of young people’s living standards and health awareness, an increasing
number of males are concerned about their physical development [33] and they want to
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 3 of 13
develop their muscles using scientific perspectives, relying not only on subjective experi-
ence in selecting exercise movements. However, novice athletes are inefficient and at risk
of injury due to a lack of theoretical knowledge and irrational movement choices [34].
movements.
Therefore, the However, noviceof
main purpose athletes are inefficient
this study and at risk
was to investigate theofkinematic
injury dueand to akinetic
lack of
theoretical
changes of knowledge
the hip, knee, andand
irrational movement
ankle joints choices
of male fitness[34]. Therefore,
beginners the main
at 25% body purpose
weight
of thisand
(BW) study
50%wasBWtowithinvestigate
dumbbells,the barbells,
kinematic and
and kinetic changes
weighted vests usingof the hip, knee,
OpenSim, andandto
ankle
providejoints of male fitness
appropriate guidancebeginners
based onat the
25%results
body weight (BW) and
of the study. 50% BW
Therefore, with
three dumb-
hypoth-
bells, barbells,
eses are and weighted
presented: (a) The three vests usingtypes
weight OpenSim,
have and to provide
different degrees appropriate
of influenceguidance
on the
based on the results of the study. Therefore, three hypotheses are presented:
kinematics and kinetics of the hip, knee, and ankle. (b) The influence of the weight types (a) The three
weight typesdeepens
on the joint have different
as the degrees
intensityofofinfluence
the weighton the kinematics
increases. and kinetics
(c) There are oneoforthe hip,
more
knee, and ankle.
appropriate (b) types
weight The influence of thecombinations
and intensity weight typesdue on the joint
to the deepens as
differences in the intensity
the exercise
of the of
effect weight increases.
the different (c) There
weight are one or more appropriate weight types and intensity
types.
combinations due to the differences in the exercise effect of the different weight types.
2. Materials and Methods
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.1. Participants
Fourteen male fitness novices were recruited for this study (age: 22.7 ± 1.6 years,
Fourteen male fitness novices were recruited for this study (age: 22.7 ± 1.6 years,
height: 1.72 ± 0.05 m, weight: 73.17 ± 0.02 kg, BMI: 24.89 ± 1.52 kg/m2, leg length: 0.86 ±
height: 1.72 ± 0.05 m, weight: 73.17 ± 0.02 kg, BMI: 24.89 ± 1.52 kg/m2 , leg length:
0.04 m, shoulder width: 0.41 ± 0.03 m). The dominant leg was identified by preference
0.86 ± 0.04 m, shoulder width: 0.41 ± 0.03 m). The dominant leg was identified by prefer-
during kicking and the preferred limb was defined as the dominant limb. There were no
ence during kicking and the preferred limb was defined as the dominant limb. There were
lower limb diseases or injuries in the six months before testing. Participants did not eat
no lower limb diseases or injuries in the six months before testing. Participants did not eat
for 2 h before the experiment and were prohibited from consuming any type of alcohol or
for 2 h before the experiment and were prohibited from consuming any type of alcohol
caffeine for 24 h. They all wore the same style of shoes to avoid the effects of shoes. All
or caffeine for 24 h. They all wore the same style of shoes to avoid the effects of shoes.
participants understood the purpose and significance of the study, were informed of the
All participants understood the purpose and significance of the study, were informed of
testing
the procedures,
testing procedures,and and
signed an informed
signed an informed consent formform
consent before experimental
before data data
experimental col-
collection. The Ethics Committee of Ningbo University Research Institute approved ex-
lection. The Ethics Committee of Ningbo University Research Institute approved the the
periment (No:
experiment (No:RAGH202110283004.2).
RAGH202110283004.2).

2.2. Instruments
2.2. Instruments
An eight-camera
An eight-camera Vicon
Vicon motion
motion capture
capture system
system (Vicon
(Vicon Metrics
Metrics Ltd.,
Ltd.,Oxford,
Oxford,UK)UK)was
was
used to capture motion trajectories. An embedded Kistler 3D force plate (Kistler,
used to capture motion trajectories. An embedded Kistler 3D force plate (Kistler, Switzer- Switzer-
land) was
land) was used
used to
to record
record ground
ground reaction
reaction forces
forces simultaneously
simultaneouslyatat200 200Hz Hzand
and1000
1000Hz.
Hz.
Before the
Before theexperiment,
experiment,subjects
subjectswere
were asked
asked to to apply
apply 41 reflective
41 reflective markers
markers (diameter:
(diameter: 14
14 mm)
mm)
to to bodies.
their their bodies. The specific
The specific location
location pointspoints are outlined
are outlined in Figure
in Figure 1. The
1. The midpoint
midpoint of
of the
the femur
femur waswas defined
defined as the
as the central
central point
point of the
of the greater
greater trochanter
trochanter andand
thethe epicondyle
epicondyle of
of the
the femur. The midpoint of the fibula was defined as the central point of the
femur. The midpoint of the fibula was defined as the central point of the lateral condyle lateral con-
dylethe
and andlateral
the lateral
ankle.ankle.

Figure 1. (a):
(a):Front,
Front,side,
side,and
andback
backview of of
view thethe
subject’s reflective
subject’s markers;
reflective (b): (b):
markers; vestvest
lunge pose;pose;
lunge (c):
barbell start pose; (d): dumbbell lunge pose; (e): lunge start pose.
(c): barbell start pose; (d): dumbbell lunge pose; (e): lunge start pose.

2.3. Procedures
Participants performed a 5 min warm-up on a stationary treadmill before performing
a lunge squat. The leg length of each participant was measured using a metric ruler. Leg
length was defined as the length from the anterior superior iliac spine to the medial tibial
condyle. We defined stride length as 70% leg length and marked the corresponding stride
length with tape at the start point and target stride point (on the force platform) as the
lunge stride length for each participant.
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 4 of 13

Before the experiment began, participants underwent practice experiments for each
weight type; subjects were instructed by related professional practitioners, and verbal
instruction ensured familiarity with the movements without major problems. At the
beginning of the experiment, the participants stood with their feet together at the starting
point, and after hearing the command, they moved the dominant leg forward to the marked
position. They then shifted their body weight in a downward direction and kept their
trunk upright. In the end, the non-dominant leg moved forward and landed in a position
parallel to the dominant leg. The body weight returned to the initial state and ended with
the body upright and knees fully extended as the end of a full movement. We specified
that a qualified movement required: (1) the torso to remain upright and perpendicular to
horizontal, with the arms always on either side of the torso and without swaying; (2) the
knee joint of the dominant leg to go no further forward than the toe and the lower leg
perpendicular to the ground; (3) the knee joint of the non-dominant leg to be close to the
ground but not touching the ground. When all three conditions were met, it was deemed a
qualified action.
Participants performed a total of six sets of experiments, with each individual’s weight-
bearing intensity and order of weight-bearing type determined by completely random
selection. Six qualifying data were collected for each condition, from which three lunges
were selected. After each set was completed, participants rested for 5 min to prevent fatigue.
The lunge squat had six weighting situations with 25% and 50% BW of dumbbells, barbells,
and weighted vests [9,24], as outlined in Figure 1. The barbell was kept in position behind
the back and the dumbbells of the same weight were held by both the left and right upper
limbs. Vest contact with the subject’s skin ensured that it was always fixed.

2.4. Data Collection and Processing

One lunge data period was defined as starting from the previous frame of the dominant
leg contacting the force table to the end of the next stance position. The kinematic and
kinetic data (including peak flexion angle (PFA), ROM, and peak moments, as well as center
of pressure (COP)) of the hip, knee, and ankle joints in the sagittal planes were collected to
analyze joint changes under different load conditions.
Each set of data for PFA, ROM, peak moment, and COP was normalized to 0–100%,
whereas subjects’ body weight and weight after weight bearing were used to normalize
joint moments. COP was normalized for leg length to eliminate the effect of height [35].
Marker trajectories and ground reaction forces were filtered by zero-latency fourth-
order Butterworth low-pass filters at 12 Hz and 30 Hz, respectively. A threshold of 20 N
was used, and ground reaction force data below 20 were rejected. The C3D file data were
converted to formats recognized in OpenSim 4.3 (.mot and .trc) by Matlab R2018a (The
MathWorks, MA, USA), and then imported into OpenSim for data processing [36]. The
model employed in this experiment was adapted by Lu et al. [37] based on the open-
source original model of the deep squat [38] to prevent muscles from crossing bones
and causing higher joint mobility. The model was scaled using the subject’s marker
point location and weight in a static calibration. The static weight of each marker was
manually adjusted according to the root mean square (RMS) error value (less than 0.02)
between the experimental and virtual markers in the model until it was adjusted to the
appropriate position before applying the scaled model to the data calculation. The joint
angles were calculated using the inverse kinematics (IK) calculation tool in OpenSim and the
results were optimized using least squares to minimize the error between the experimental
and virtual markers. The inverse dynamics (ID) algorithm was used to calculate the net
moments of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. The ID tool performs inverse dynamic analysis
by applying these data given the kinematics describing the movement of the model and
perhaps a portion of the kinetics applied to the model. The ID tool solves the mathematical
equations of force and acceleration of classical mechanics in an inverse dynamics sense to
yield the net forces and torques at each joint which produce the movement [39].
 virtual markers. The inverse dynamics (ID) algorithm was used to calculate the net mo-
ments of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. The ID tool performs inverse dynamic analysis
by applying these data given the kinematics describing the movement of the model and
perhaps a portion of the kinetics applied to the model. The ID tool solves the mathematical
equations of force and acceleration of classical mechanics in an inverse dynamics sense to
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 5 of 13
yield the net forces and torques at each joint which produce the movement [39].

2.5. Statistical Analysis

2.5. In
Statistical Analysis
this study, statistical parametric mapping was used to compare joint angles and
moments, and
In this one-dimensional
study, statisticalmapping
statistical parametric parametric mapping
was used to (SPM1D) was performed
compare joint angles and
moments,
within and one-dimensional
the SPM1D package basedstatistical
on MATLAB.parametric mapping
IBM SPSS (SPM1D)
Statistics 26 (IBMwas performed
Corporation,
within the
Armonk, NY,SPM1D
USA) package
was usedbased on MATLAB.
to analyze sagittal IBM
ROM,SPSS Statistics
sagittal PFA, 26 (IBM
peak Corporation,
moments, and
Armonk,
COP NY, USA)
for different was used
conditions into
theanalyze
x- and sagittal ROM, sagittal
y-axes. Two-way PFA,measures
repeated peak moments, and
were used
COP
to for different
analyze conditions
for significance. The the x- and y-axes.
insignificance Two-way
level was set at prepeated
< 0.05. measures were used
to analyze for significance. The significance level was set at p < 0.05.
3. Results
3. Results
3.1. Hip, Knee, and Ankle Joint Angles
3.1. Hip, Knee, and Ankle Joint Angles
The kinematic joint results and SPM1D results for the hip, knee, and ankle joints at
The kinematic joint results and SPM1D results for the hip, knee, and ankle joints at
25% BW and 50% BW are shown in Figure 2 and Table 1.
25% BW and 50% BW are shown in Figure 2 and Table 1.

Figure
Figure2.2.Joint
Jointangles
anglesand
andSPM1D
SPM1Dresults
resultsfor
forhip,
hip,knee,
knee,and
andankle
ankleatat25%
25%BW
BWandand50%
50%BW.
BW.Red:
Red:
indicates
indicatesaasignificant
significantdifference
differencebetween
betweenvest
vestand
andbarbell;
barbell;green:
green:indicates
indicatesaasignificant
significantdifference
difference
between
betweenbarbell
barbelland
anddumbbell.
dumbbell.BW:BW:body
bodyweight.
weight.

Table
Table1.
1.Sagittal
SagittalROM
ROMand
andPFA
PFA of
of the
the hip,
hip, knee,
knee, and
and ankle
ankle at
at 25%
25% BW
BW and
and 50%
50% BW.
BW.
25% BW (Mean ± SD) 50% BW (Mean ± SD)
25% BW (Mean ± SD) 50% BW (Mean ± SD)
ROM PFA ROM PFA
ROM PFA ROM PFA
hip 90.04 ± 8.26 101.92 ± 9.79 88.38 ± 2.95 95.97 ± 2.57
hip 90.04 ± 8.26 101.92 ± 9.79 88.38 ± 2.95 95.97 ± 2.57
vest (°) knee 108.98 ± 7.33 124.33 ± 3.93 110.52 ± 8.24 122.37 ± 2.37
vest (◦ ) knee 108.98 ± 7.33 124.33 ± 3.93 110.52 ± 8.24 122.37 ± 2.37
ankle
ankle 34.13
34.13±±5.66
5.66 23.51
23.51 ±±8.73
d
8.73 d 33.73
33.73 ±±5.02
5.02 20.28
20.28 ±±7.01
d
7.01 d
hip 83.86 ± 12.26 101.62 ± 9.04 81.23 ± 12.68 100.23 ± 9.48
hip 83.86 ± 12.26 101.62 ± 9.04 81.23 ± 12.68 100.23 ± 9.48
barbell (°)
◦
barbell ( ) knee
knee 103.58 ± 6.19
103.58 ± 6.19
bb 125.81
125.81 ±±2.63
2.63 114.73 ± 4.21
114.73 ± 4.21
ab
ab 125.07
125.07 ±±2.80
2.80
ankle
ankle 32.72
32.72±±2.98
2.98 25.50 3.51 dd
25.50 ±±3.51 32.80
32.80 ±±4.79
4.79 23.49 6.75 dd
23.49 ±±6.75
dumbbell (°) hiphip 86.35
86.35±±5.47
5.47 100.23
100.23 ±±6.69
6.69 84.26
84.26 ±±10.00
10.00 99.70
99.70 ±±9.43
9.43
dumbbell
knee 105.42 ± 3.56 123.31 ± 6.96 107.90 ± 3.32 a 122.00 ± 4.65
(◦ )
ankle 29.96 ± 7.12 21.84 ± 10.44 31.40 ± 5.78 21.92 ± 7.15
Note: a indicates significance p < 0.05 for the same weight; b indicates significance p < 0.05 for different weights
for the same loading type; d indicates the significance of the main effect of type p < 0.05.

Two-way repeated measures analysis was performed to compare the effects on joint
ROM and PFA at different load types and load intensities. The between-group (group)
effects were 25% BW and 50% BW load intensity, and the within-group (type) effects
were changes in joint angles due to vest, barbell, and dumbbell load types. There were
no abnormal data as judged by box-line plots. The variance–covariance matrix of the
 Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 6 of 13

dependent variable was equal for the interaction term group × type by Mauchly’s sphericity
test (p > 0.05). For ROM and PFA in the hip joint, the group × type interaction was not
statistically significant, and no significant differences were found between the main effects
of group and type. ROM and PFA for vest, barbell, and dumbbell all had a decreasing
trend at 50% BW compared to 25% BW. In Figure 2, in the results of SPM1D, a significant
difference between the vest and barbell at 50% BW load intensity was observed in the rise
and stand phase (p = 0.048). At ROM of the knee joint, the interaction of group × type
was statistically significant, F (2, 16) = 4.744, p = 0.024. The separate effect of the group on
the barbell was statistically significant (p = 0.038), and the barbell was significant at 25%
BW and 50% BW (p = 0.038). At 50% BW, the barbell was significantly different from the
dumbbell (p = 0.033), as shown in Table 1, and ROM increased with increasing intensity.
In Table 1, PFA decreased with increasing intensity and use of the barbell decreased PFA
the least, by 0.74◦ , whereas SPM1D results showed a significant difference between barbell
and dumbbell during squatting at 50% BW deadlift strength (p = 0.02). Both barbell and
dumbbell use increased ankle ROM, but the vest and the dumbbell increased ankle ROM
more, by 1.44◦ . SPM1D found a significant difference between the vest and barbell at 25%
BW deadlift strength when the foot touched the ground (p = 0.046). A significant difference
in the main effect of weight types was found at PFA (p = 0.038). A significant difference was
found between the vest and barbell (p = 0.022). In addition, 50% BW with the vest decreased
by 3.23◦ , compared to 25% BW and 50% BW with the barbell which decreased by 2.01◦ and
compared to 25% BW with dumbbells which increased by 0.08◦ . Overall, the barbell varied
to a greater degree at the knee joint than the other two by intensity. Dumbbells varied less
at the three joints than at the other two.

3.2. Hip, Knee, and Ankle Joint Moments

Bioengineering 2022, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 of 13
The joint moments of the hip, knee, and ankle joints at 25% and 50% of body weight,
PFA, and SPM1D results are shown in Figure 3 and Table 2.

Figure
Figure3.3.Joint
Jointmoments
momentsand andSPM1D
SPM1Dresults
resultsfor
forhip,
hip,knee,
knee,and
andankle
ankleatat25%
25%BWBWand
and50%50%BW.
BW.Red:
Red:
indicates
indicatesaasignificant
significantdifference
differencebetween
betweenvest
vestand
andbarbell;
barbell;green:
green:indicates
indicatesaasignificant
significantdifference
difference
between
betweenbarbell
barbelland
anddumbbell;
dumbbell;blue:
blue:indicates
indicatesa asignificant
significantdifference
differencebetween
betweenvest
vestand
anddumbbell.
dumbbell.
BW: body weight.
BW: body weight.

Table 2. Peak joint moments of hip, knee, and ankle at 25% BW and 50% BW.

25% BW (Mean ± SD) 50% BW (Mean ± SD)

hip −1.96 ± 0.14 c −2.12 ± 0.24 c
vest (Nm/kg) knee −1.41 ± 0.11 c −1.44 ± 0.17 c
ankle −0.79 ± 0.15 b −0.98 ± 0.19 ab
hip −1.87 ± 0.32 c −2.09 ± 0.32 c
barbell (Nm/kg) knee −1.46 ± 0.13 c −1.59 ± 0.17 c
ankle −0.78 ± 0.18 −0.89 ± 0.22
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 7 of 13

Table 2. Peak joint moments of hip, knee, and ankle at 25% BW and 50% BW.

25% BW (Mean ± SD) 50% BW (Mean ± SD)

hip −1.96 ± 0.14 c −2.12 ± 0.24 c
vest (Nm/kg) knee −1.41 ± 0.11 c −1.44 ± 0.17 c
ankle −0.79 ± 0.15 b −0.98 ± 0.19 ab
hip −1.87 ± 0.32 c −2.09 ± 0.32 c
barbell (Nm/kg) knee −1.46 ± 0.13 c −1.59 ± 0.17 c
ankle −0.78 ± 0.18 −0.89 ± 0.22
hip −1.90 ± 0.29 c −2.30 ± 0.30 c
dumbbell (Nm/kg) knee −1.47 ± 0.20 c −1.58 ± 0.12 c
ankle −0.70 ± 0.21 −0.81 ± 0.20 a
Note: a indicates significance p < 0.05 for the same weight; b indicates significance p < 0.05 for different weights
for the same load type; c indicates significance p < 0.05 for the main effect of the group.

As shown in Table 2, there was no significant difference in the hip group × type
interaction, but there was a significant difference in the main effect of weight-bearing
strength, F (1, 11) = 93.13, p < 0.001. Furthermore, 25% BW was 0.259 Nm/kg smaller than
50% BW at weight-bearing strength, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). At 25%
BW, the peak barbell flexion moment was the smallest at 1.87 Nm/kg, followed by the
dumbbell and the largest was the vest at 1.96 Nm/kg. Moreover, 50% BW increased the
most over 25% BW with dumbbells at 0.4 Nm/kg and the least with the vest at 0.16 Nm/kg.
In the SPM1D results in Figure 3, there was a significant difference between the vest and
barbell rise and stand phase at 25% BW weight-bearing strength (p = 0.002, p = 0.012). At
50% BW weight-bearing strength, there was a significant difference between the barbell
and dumbbell (p = 0.047, p = 0.01), and also between the vest and dumbbell (p < 0.001).
On the knee joint, the main effect of weight-bearing strength was statistically significant,
F (1, 11) = 9.058, p = 0.012. The largest increase at 50% BW over 25% BW was with the
barbell, which increased by 0.13 Nm/kg from 1.46 to 1.59 Nm/kg, and the smallest was
with the vest, which increased by 0.03 Nm/kg from 1.41 to 1.44 Nm/kg. In the results
of SPM1D, there was a significant difference between the vest and the dumbbell in the
standing phase at 50% BW (p = 0.025). At the ankle joint, the group × type interaction
was significantly different for the ankle (p = 0.006), and analysis of the separate effects of
group and type revealed a significant difference between the vest at 25% BW and 50% BW
(p = 0.006). The vest increased most, from 0.79 to 0.98 Nm/kg, an increase of 0.19 Nm/kg;
whereas the barbell and dumbbell both increased by 0.11 Nm/kg. At 50% BW, the vest
was 0.98 Nm/kg, and the dumbbell was 0.81 Nm/kg; there was a significant difference
between them (p = 0.023). In the SPM1D plot, it was shown that at 50% BW, there was a
significant difference between the dumbbell and the barbell during the squat (p = 0.01).
Overall, the barbell varied to a greater degree of variation in weight strength at the knee
joint than the other two, and the dumbbell had relatively little overall variation at all three
joints. The vest, on the other hand, showed the least variation in ROM at the hip joint.

3.3. The COP of the Lunge

The COP motion trajectory and x-axis offset range and y-axis offset at 25% BW and
50% BW are shown in Figure 4 and Table 3.
Table 3. COP x-axis offset range and y-axis offset at 25% BW and 50% BW.

25% BW (Mean ± SD) 50% BW (Mean ± SD)

x-axis (mm/m) y-axis (mm.s/m) x-axis (mm/m) y-axis (mm.s/m)
vest 31.07 ± 9.00 5.35 ± 1.76 c 35.85 ± 9.13 8.43 ± 1.94 c
barbell 38.08 ± 10.43 d 6.99 ± 3.37 c 35.37 ± 5.47 d 4.84 ± 1.68 c
dumbbell 28.26 ± 4.59 d 4.88 ± 2.54 c 31.75 ± 4.82 d 6.53 ± 2.81 c
Note: c indicates significance p < 0.05 for the main effect of the group. d indicates the significance of the main
effect of type p < 0.05.
 and the dumbbell had relatively little overall variation at all three joints. The vest, on the
other hand, showed the least variation in ROM at the hip joint.

3.3. The COP of the Lunge

The COP motion trajectory and x-axis offset range and y-axis offset at 25% BW and
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 8 of 13
50% BW are shown in Figure 4 and Table 3.

Figure 4. COP motion trajectory at 25% BW and 50% BW. BW: body weight.
Figure 4. COP motion trajectory at 25% BW and 50% BW. BW: body weight.
As shown in Figure 4, it can be seen that the overall offset range with the dumbbell
was smaller
Table at 25%
3. COP x-axis BWrange
offset and 50% BW, whereas
and y-axis the BW
offset at 25% overall
and trajectory
50% BW. with the barbell was
larger at 25% BW. As shown in Table 3, in the offset range of the COP x-axis, there was no
significant difference25% BW
in the (Mean
group ± SD)interaction, but there
× type 50%was BWa(Mean ± SD)
significant difference
x-axis (mm/m) y-axis (mm.s/m) x-axis (mm/m)
in the main effect of weight types, F (2, 16) = 3.689, p = 0.048, and there was a statistically y-axis (mm.s/m)
vest
significant 31.07 between
difference ± 9.00 barbell 5.35
and± 1.76 c
dumbbell (p35.85 ± 9.13
= 0.027). The offset 8.43 ± 1.94
range c
of both
barbell
vest and dumbbell 38.08increased
± 10.43 and the
d 6.99 ± 3.37
vest c
increased the 35.37 ± 5.47
most with 4.78 4.84
d
mm/m. ± 1.68Inc the
dumbbell
y-axis 28.26
offset, there was± no
4.59significant4.88
d difference c 31.75 ×
± 2.54 in the group ± 4.82 6.53 ±There
type interaction.
d 2.81 cwas
a significant
Note: c indicatesdifference
significanceinpthe main
< 0.05 effect
for the mainof effect
weight strength,
of the group. dFindicates
(1, 9) = the
25.077, p = 0.001.
significance of
the main effect of25%
Additionally, typeBWp < 0.05.
had a statistically significant difference of 2.453 mm.s/m smaller
offset than 50% BW at weight strength (p = 0.001). The y-axis was the same as the x-axis,
and Asboth shown in Figure
had the largest 4, it can be
increase seen offset
in vest that the overall
of 3.08 offset range with the dumbbell
mm.s/m.
was smaller at 25% BW and 50% BW, whereas the overall trajectory with the barbell was
4. Discussion
larger at 25% BW. As shown in Table 3, in the offset range of the COP x-axis, there was no
significant difference
The purpose of in thestudy
this group × type
was interaction,changes
to investigate but there inwas
lower a significant difference
limb kinematics and
in the main
kinetics effectfitness
of male of weight types,
novices F (2,dumbbells,
using 16) = 3.689,barbells,
p = 0.048,andand there was
weighted a statistically
vests at 25% BW
significant
and 50% BW difference
weightsbetween barbell appropriate
and to provide and dumbbell (p = 0.027).
exercise choices The
and offset range
fitness of both
instructions
vest and dumbbell
accordingly. increased
This study found andthat,
the as
vest increased
strength the most
increased, with
the 4.78 mm/m.
kinematics of theIn barbell
the y-
at the
axis kneethere
offset, jointwas
wasno more influential
significant than the
difference other
in the two ×by
group studying
type different
interaction. Thereweight
was
atypes and intensities,
significant differencewhereas
in the main the SPM1D
effect ofwas alsostrength,
weight used to analyze
F (1, 9) =the process
25.077, p =of joint
0.001.
angles and moments
Additionally, 25% BWinhad thisa study compared
statistically to previous
significant studies.
difference All three
of 2.453 weight
mm.s/m types
smaller
increased
offset than the
50%joint
BW moment
at weightwith the increase
strength in weight
(p = 0.001). strength,
The y-axis was theandsame
the increase in all
as the x-axis,
three
and bothtypes
hadwas
the significant at theinhip
largest increase vestand knee
offset of joints, with the dumbbell increasing the
3.08 mm.s/m.
most at the hip, the barbell increasing the most at the knee, and only the vest increasing
significantly at the ankle joint. For COP, dumbbells showed the least variation whereas
barbells decreased the COP. Weight type and intensity had a greater effect on kinetics than
on kinematics, and SPM1D showed more significant results at 50% BW, which confirms our
first and second hypotheses.
During the lunge phase, our study found that the knee joint had the greatest ROM
and the most PFA. The ROM of the knee increased with increasing load intensity, with an
average increase of 5.06◦ for all three load types, which is consistent with the findings of
Bryan et al. [9]. The largest increase in ROM of the knee was 11.15◦ during barbell load
conditions. In addition, a study by Danielle et al. [40] also showed an effect between greater
knee flexion angle and knee joint stress during the anterior lunge. According to Zellmer
et al. [41], it was reported that greater knee flexion could also lead to a tendency for the knee
to translate forward. Peak kneel joint stress, quadriceps muscle strength, knee moment,
knee flexion, and ankle dorsiflexion were greater when the knee was panned in front of
the toes during the lunge. Keeping the knee behind the toes minimizes the stress on the
patellar tendon. To reduce patellar forces, Escamilla et al. [27] suggested to be cautious
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 9 of 13

about performing a long-step lunge squat. In addition to this, the anterior lunge has been
shown to be part of an effective exercise program for the treatment of knee joint pain [42].
Based on the data, it is easy to see that dumbbells have a small and variable effect on the
ROM of the knee relative to vests and barbells.
During the squat, we also observed a difference in joint ROM between the load cases,
with SPM1D results indicating a significant difference between barbell and dumbbell at
50% BW for the knee joint. This difference may be related to the height of the entire center
of gravity position. Compared to the dumbbell, the barbell’s shoulder-centered high center
of gravity can be difficult for novices with less physical stability, and the higher the center
of gravity, the more unstable it is. Several studies have demonstrated that load weight has
little effect on joint mobility [14,24]. This study found some variation at the knee joint, and
this finding of the load type effect on joint ROM was through a mixture of SPM1D and
load type and intensity. Changes in the process have been reported infrequently in prior
studies employing this statistical methodology. At the ankle joint, we found a significant
change between the vest and the barbell at 25% BW, as seen in contact with the ground
and progression from plantarflexion to dorsiflexion. There was also a significant difference
between the vest and barbell on the ankle PFA. According to Guilherme et al. [43], in
their study, the dynamic ankle dorsiflexion range may be changed by neuromuscular
strategies induced by factors outside of the passive ankle dorsiflexion range. For example,
factors of hip and knee muscle weakness may be associated with an increased demand for
plantar flexors. When the hip and knee muscles are weak, the lower leg and foot muscles
compensate by carrying the additional load to be able to stand. Likewise, if the knee
flexion is small, this indicates the presence of other underlying factors such as quadriceps
weakness and limited ankle dorsiflexion range [44]. In general, the ROM with dumbbells is
smaller and less variable than the other two load types, whereas overall stability is better
for beginners. In contrast, those who already have the relevant basic accumulation of
exercise and want to make the exercise more effective can choose the barbell method of
weight bearing because the ROM and PFA at the knee joint are large and may be more
sensitive to the weight.
In terms of moments, we observed that the hip joint moment was the greatest, followed
by the knee joint and, finally, the ankle joint. The results of SPM1D showed that there was
a significant difference between the weight types at the hip joint after reaching the lowest
point and then rising at both weights. We think that this is related to the position of the
center of gravity. At high load intensities, there was a significant difference between the
dumbbell and the other two load types because the dumbbell load was lower than the
hip position at the sides of the body. The lower the body’s center of gravity, the greater
the joint moment, as confirmed by the data at 50% BW. The average increase in the joint
moment at 50% BW over 25% BW was 0.259 Nm/kg at the hip, 0.087 Nm/kg at the knee,
and 0.139 Nm/kg at the ankle. The hip showed the greatest rise, followed by the ankle and,
finally, the knee. These results confirm that the forward lunge is a hip-dominant movement
and that increasing external loading has the greatest effect on the hip moment and the
least on the knee joint. This varying degree of increase is consistent with the findings of
Bryan [9], who argued that the knee joint has a greater range of motion than both the hip
and the knee, and the examination of linear and quadratic trends in the net joint moment of
the ankle suggests that the ankle may have reached the point of the maximum contribution.
However, he also indicated that stronger external loading would be required to substantiate
the findings. Farrokhi et al. [22] did not statistically compare hip, ankle, and knee joint
dynamics. Their descriptive statistics and graphical data also showed that the forward
lunge is a hip extensor-dominated movement. All of these studies indicate that the hip
contributes more to the kinematics of the anterior lunge than the knee and ankle.
Bryan explained that the hip, knee, and ankle joints contribute to changes in the lunge
accordingly. As the intensity of the load increases, little changes in the upper extremities
or trunk, such as subjects changing the way they hold the dumbbell and moving it to a
more forward position, may occur during the experiment. This phenomenon produces
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 10 of 13

an effect comparable to the trunk forward lunge. The trunk forward lunge shifts the total
body weight forward, and the corresponding forward movement of the barbell, dumbbell,
and vest causes more mass to move forward, which may increase the contribution of the
hips and ankles. Other studies have similarly pointed out that [31] as the anterior limb
tibia-ground angle decreases, the ROM of the anterior knee becomes larger, and the flexion
moment at the hip increases. Paul [23] suggested that due to the greater hip joint moment
in the front lunge, it is more effective to choose the forward lunge over the single-leg
deep squat and the back lunge if one wants to exercise the hip extensors. However, the
forward shift of body weight may not be enough to ensure a meaningful increase in the hip
extensors, allowing more muscle recruitment to occur in the other muscles, as mentioned
by Farrokhi [22]. As seen by our data, at the hip joint, the joint moment when using the
barbell at 25% BW was the smallest, followed by the dumbbell. However, the dumbbell
varied greatly with increasing weight. At the knee joint, the vest produced the smallest
joint moment, and at the ankle joint the dumbbell had the smallest. If we choose to exercise
the hip and knee muscles more, we can choose large-weight dumbbells. If we want less
load on the knee joint, we can choose a small-weight vest as the external load carrier.
For the COP displacements, it is difficult to obtain a specific understanding of the
data from the point plots. The overall movement of the dumbbells was hard to distinguish,
therefore we quantified the x-axis and y-axis data. The x-axis represents the displacement
of the lateral COP, and the y-axis represents the displacement of the anterior and posterior
aspects. We processed the y-axis data to obtain the overall offset of the y-axis. In the x-axis
direction, both the vest and dumbbell increased in range with increasing weight, and there
was a significant difference between the barbell and dumbbell, with an average increase of
4.78 mm/m with the vest and 3.49 mm/m with the dumbbell, whereas the y-axis offset
was affected by the weight strength, with a larger offset of 2.453 mm.s/m for 50% BW
than for 25% BW weight strength. The vest increased by 3.08 mm.s/m, and the dumbbell
increased by 1.65 mm.s/m. This result was expected because the overall muscle strength
was weak under heavy weights, and the body could not be easily controlled to complete
the prescribed movements. The barbell, however, showed a decrease, as did the y-axis.
We cannot explain this unexpected result specifically, probably because the upper limbs
share some of the weight. However, for a wide range of displacements, Hsue et al. [35]
suggested that excessive inclination leads to excessive COM and COP separation, requiring
greater active postural control and more energy to counteract the increased joint moment,
which would lead to loss of balance and thus accidents. Combining the above findings, it is
easy to corroborate the third hypothesis that each of the three weight types has its benefits,
thus selecting the correct type of weight according to the specific physical qualities of the
exerciser is important.
Our study has several limitations. First, we only studied male populations; based on
the relatively weak strength of female novices, we did not examine the performance of
female populations in the lunge. We did not reflect the gender difference. Secondly, we
only selected 25% BW and 50% BW and did not explore the results of adding weights in
between or exploring the results of weights above 50% BW. Future studies should focus
more on the diversity of the population, variation of the backward lunge under different
weight conditions, and the effect of learning effects on results when performing different
weight orders. Future studies will be more careful.

5. Conclusions
We examined different types of weight-bearing exercises. The strength of the load
caused the kinematics and kinetics of the barbell to vary more at the knee joint. The
kinematics of the dumbbell were less variable at all three joints, whereas the kinetics varied
the most at the hip joint. The vest had the greatest effect on the joint moment at the
ankle joint, whereas the joint moment changed the least at the hip and knee joints and the
kinematics changed the most. All three weight-bearing types had larger joint moments
with increasing intensity. These results are consistent with our expected hypothesis. One
Bioengineering 2022, 9, 272 11 of 13

of the important findings was that all three types of weights have their own advantages
for the fitness enthusiast, and training specificity and desired outcomes are important in
the selection of weight-bearing exercise. Dumbbells seem to be more suitable for male
beginners using the lunge exercise because of the low impact on the knee joint and high
stability. For those who want to strengthen the hip and knee muscles, they can choose
dumbbells with a high weight. For individuals that have accumulated experience, they
can choose barbells as the main lunge exercise equipment. For people suffering from
corresponding knee and knee joint pain, a small-weighted vest lunge exercise may be the
best choice for rehabilitation and injury avoidance.

Author Contributions: All the authors contributed substantially to the manuscript. L.G., Z.L., M.L.
and Y.G. were responsible for the conceptualization. L.G., Z.L. and J.S.B. were responsible for
investigation and methodology. L.G., Z.L., M.L., J.S.B. and Y.G. were responsible for formal analysis
and writing—original draft. Z.L., J.S.B. and Y.G. were responsible for writing—review and editing
and supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This study was supported by the Key Project of the National Social Science Foundation of
China (19ZDA352), NSFC-RSE Joint Project (81911530253), Key R&D Program of Zhejiang Province
China (2021C03130), Public Welfare Science and Technology Project of Ningbo, China (2021S133),
Zhejiang Province Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (R22A021199) and K. C. Wong
Magna Fund from Ningbo University.
Institutional Review Board Statement: The study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines
of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the committee of Ningbo University (code
RAGH202110283004.2).
Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants involved in
the study.
Data Availability Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available upon
reasonable request from the corresponding author. The data were not publicly available because of
privacy or ethical restrictions.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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