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Assignment 3

When bending forward, the back muscles must contract to counteract the torque created by the body's weight and prevent falling. This increases the force in the back muscles and the reaction force on the lower vertebrae. When the arms are resting on a table, the table provides a reaction force to counteract the weight torque, but when floating the muscles must stabilize the arms. Looking down increases the torque on the neck, so the neck muscles must exert a greater force to counteract it, increasing the reaction force felt at the vertebrae. Calculating the torque from a head weight allows estimating the 196.2N load placed on the neck muscles in this position.

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Hrishyank Shetty
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25 views

Assignment 3

When bending forward, the back muscles must contract to counteract the torque created by the body's weight and prevent falling. This increases the force in the back muscles and the reaction force on the lower vertebrae. When the arms are resting on a table, the table provides a reaction force to counteract the weight torque, but when floating the muscles must stabilize the arms. Looking down increases the torque on the neck, so the neck muscles must exert a greater force to counteract it, increasing the reaction force felt at the vertebrae. Calculating the torque from a head weight allows estimating the 196.2N load placed on the neck muscles in this position.

Uploaded by

Hrishyank Shetty
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Assignment 3: Biomechanics

Q1)

When we bend forward, the force W and the force R are no longer co-linear and instead form a
couple. Thus to stabilise the body (to prevent the upper body from falling forward), the back muscles
are activated to create a counter couple. This is why the forces in the back muscle increases as we
bend forward. Subsequently, the force exerted by the back muscle is balanced by the reaction force
R, which increases the force on the lower back vertebrae.

Q2)
In case A, where the arms are rested on the table, the reaction force from the table Rar balance the
couple created by the weight of the arm. The magnitude of Rar is given below

𝑊 × 𝐷𝑤
𝑅𝑎𝑟 =
𝐷𝑟

Where Dw is the distance of the force W from the shoulder joint and Dr is the distance of the force
Rar from the shoulder joint. The reaction force Rs is now equal to

𝑊 (𝐷𝑟 − 𝐷𝑤)
𝑅𝑠 =
𝐷𝑟

However in case B, where the arms are floating in the air, there is no reaction force to balance the
moment created by the weight of the arm. Thus, the muscles in the shoulder are activate the
stabilise the arm.

The forces in the shoulder are equal but opposite in direction to the forces on the arm, at the point
of contact between the two.

Q3)

When we sit straight in front of our screen, the distance between the line of action of the force W
and Rs is smaller than the distance when we lean our neck forward. Thus the neck muscles have to
exert a larger force in the latter case to stabilise the head. Subsequently, the magnitude of the
reaction force Rs also increase to balance the force from the neck muscle.

To estimate the load on the neck muscles, I will first balance the moment around the neck joint.

𝑊 𝑥 𝑟1
𝐹𝑚 =
𝑟2

Here, W is the weight of the head, r1 is the distance between the COM of the head and the neck
joint, and r2 is the distance between the neck muscle and the neck joint. Assuming that

W = 4 kg
r1 = 10 cm

r2 = 2 cm

(4 𝑥 9.81) 𝑥 10
𝐹𝑚 = = 196.2 𝑁
2

The load on the neck muscle is 196.2 N.

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