1. What is it? Why do we study it?
Sports Biomechanics
What is it? Why do we study it?

2. What is Biomechanics
Sub-discipline of Kinesiology- study of human movement
Study of the movement of living things using the science of mechanics
Branch of physics that is concerned with the description of motion and how force creates motion

3. Why study Biomechanics?
Improve Performance
Preventing and Treating Injury
Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

4. Improve Performance
Most useful in sports where technique is the dominant factor
Physical stature and physiological capacity are a more dominant factor in many sports
Example: Running
Equipment design
Exercise movements and training devices

5. Preventing and Treating Injury
Medical property of tissue
Mechanical loadings during movement
Preventative or rehabilitation therapies
Shoes
Helmets
Prosthetics
Orthotics
Support objects or braces that correct deformities or joint positioning

6. Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Systematic observation and introspective judgement of the quality of movement
Easier, more commonly used
Quantitative
Numerical
Measurement of biomechanical variables
Accuracy, consistency, and precision

8. Mechanics Rigid-body Deformable-body Fluids
Small deformations in shape so small they can be ignored
Reasonable assumption for Biomechanics
Most used
Deformable-body
How forces are distributed within a material
Fluids
Concerned with forces in fluids
Liquids and gasses
Air resistance

9. Rigid-Body Statics- study of objects at rest or in uniform motion
Dynamics- study of objects being accelerated by the actions of force
Kinematics
Motion description
Measured in linear or angular terms
Kinetics
Determining the cause of motion
Forces and air resistance

10. 9 Fundamentals of Biomechanics
Force-Motion
Force-Time
Inertia
Range of Motion
Balance
Coordination Continuum
Segmental Interaction
Optimal Projection
Spin

11. Force-Motion
Says that unbalanced forces are acting on our bodies or objects when we either create or modify movement
Quiet standing- what forces are equal in this?
No change in motion, since there is no unbalanced force acting on the individual

12. Force-Time
The amount of time over which force can be applied affects motion
Examples: Bowling, javelin, throwing
Impulse-momentum relationship
Increasing time to apply force to slow down objects in motion
Newton’s Second Law

13. Inertia
Property of all objects to resist changes in their state of motion
Newton’s First Law
At rest, or in motion, unless acted on by an outside force

14. Range of Motion Overall motion used in a movement
Increasing range of motion can increase speed or gradually slow down
Related to force-time

15. Balance
Person’s ability to control their body position relative to base of support
Stability and mobility of body postures are inversely related
Less stable=more mobile
Mores stable=less mobile

16. Coordination Continuum
Muscle actions and body segment motions are timed
Determining the optimal timing of muscle actions or segmental motions depends on the goal of the movement
High forces- more simultaneous actions
Low-force and high-speed- more sequential actions

17. Segmental Interaction
Forces acting in a system of linked rigid bodies can be transferred throughout the links and joints
Muscles coordinate to complement the effects of torques created at joints

18. Optimal Projection
Most human movements involving projectiles have an optimal range of projectile angles for specific goals
Optimal angles proved the right compromise between vertical velocity and horizontal velocity

19. Spin Rotations imparted to projectiles
Spin is desirable for stabilization and fluid force called lift
Lift force is used to create a curve or counteract gravity

20. 4 Steps of Qualitative Analysis
Preparation
Gather relevant knowledge
Select observational strategy
Observation
Executes the observational strategy to gather relevant sensory information
Evaluation/Diagnosis
Evaluation- identify strengths and weaknesses
Diagnosis- prioritizing of the potential interventions
Intervention
Executes some action on behalf of the performer