Functional Regression Models in Biomechanics

This chapter gives an overview of functional regression techniques used to model biomechanical data. Regression with a functional response and scalar covariates, i.e., function-on-scalar regression, is the most commonly used technique in the biomechanical literature. We provide a detailed description of function-on-scalar regression, along with a practical demonstration, comparing vertical ground reaction force functions between groups with different pathologies in the GaitRec dataset. This chapter also describes scalar-on-function (regression with a scalar response and functional covariate) and function-on-function (both response and covariates are functions) regression models and reviews their applications to biomechanical data.