1. Biomechanics

2. Basics Biomechanics - study of how forces affect a living body
Kinesiology – Study of Human
movement
Ground Reaction Force – a force
that is equal to the force you are
pushing into the ground.
Anatomic Position

3. Anatomic Position/Locations
Anterior - front of body (Chest is located on body’s anterior surface)
Posterior - back of body (latissimus dorsi are located on body’s posterior surface)
Superior - located above a landmark or closest to head (knee is superior to foot)
Inferior - located toward or closest to bottom part of body (foot is inferior to knee)
Proximal - located closest to center of body or landmark (she sprained the proximal end of her thumb near her palm while playing softball)
Distal - located farthest from center of body (the ankle is distal to the hip)
Medial - located closest to midline of body (the nose is medial to the ear)
Lateral - located away from the midline (ear is lateral to the nose)
Contralateral & Ipsilateral - located on opposite (contralateral) or same side (ipsilateral)

4. Planes of motion & Axes of rotation
Saggital plane
Bisects the body into left and right halves
Movements: flexion and extension
Frontal plane
Bisects the body into front and back halves
Movements: adduction and abduction
Transverse plane
Bisects body into top and bottom halves
Movements: internal and external rotation, pronation and supination, horizontal abduction and horizontal adduction

5. Planes of motion & Axes of rotation cont...
Medial-lateral axis (Frontal Axis)
Rotational axis that runs from right to left
Longitudinal axis (Vertical Axis)
Rotational Axis that runs vertically
Anterior-posterior axis (Sagittal Axis)
Rotational axis that runs front to back
Rotary Motion: Rotational movement around
an axis. (How joint movement occurs)
Torque: A force that produces rotational motion. (Muscles produce torque)

6. Types of Muscle Actions
Isometric Activation
Muscle produces active force while
maintaining same length
Concentric Activation
Muscle produces active force during
shortening cycle
Eccentric Activation
lengthening cycle

7. Muscle Origins and Insertion points
Origin - stationary attachment site where
skeletal muscle attaches/begins
Insertion - mobile attachment site
Tendons - connective tissues that attach
muscle to bone and provide an anchor for
muscles to produce force
Muscle belly - mid-region in between the
origin and insertion

8. Muscular Dysfunction Muscle Imbalance - incorrect or improper
alignment of joints in a body without movements
Overactive- state of having disrupted neuromuscular
recruitment patterns that lead a muscle to be more
active during a joint action
Underactive - state of having disrupted neuromuscular
recruitment patterns that lead a muscle to be relatively
less active during a joint action

9. Efficiency and Flexibility
Flexibility - normal extensibility of soft tissue, which allows a joint to be moved through its full range of motion
Relative flexibility - human movement system’s way of finding the path of least resistance during movement
Corrective exercise - programming process that identifies neuromuscular dysfunction, develops a plan of action, and implements a corrective strategy as part of an exercise program
Neuromuscular efficiency - when the neuromuscular system allows agonists, antagonists and stabilizers to synergistically produce muscle actions in all three planes of motion