Movement of a poly-articulated object, having a plurality of segments linked by at least one articulation, is estimated. Inertial measurements are obtained from capture modules that are fixed relative to respective segments, each module having an accelerometer and a gyrometer, with the measurements being expressed in a measurement reference frame that is fixed relative to the respective segment. The measurements are used to determine at least one stress vector external to the object so as to control a physical model of this object representing the object. Kinematic quantities associated with the segments of the object are then estimated using fundamental dynamics principles using the computed stress vector(s).