CH 01

Chapter 1
What is
Biomechanics?
Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition
By Susan J. Hall, Ph.D.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

What is biomechanics?
bio mechanics
The term biomechanics combines the prefix bio, meaning “life,” with
the field of mechanics, which is the study of the actions of forces,
(both internal muscle forces and external forces.) In biomechanics we
analyze the mechanical aspects of living organisms.
By Susan J. Hall, Ph.D. 1-2
Sub-branches of biomechanics:
• statics: study of systems in constant motion,
(including zero motion)
• dynamics: study of systems subject to
acceleration
• kinematics: study of the appearance or
description of motion
• kinetics: study of the actions of forces (Force can
be thought of as a push or pull acting on a
body.)
What is kinematics?
What we visually observe of a body in motion is called the

kinematics of the movement. Kinematics is the study of the size,
sequencing, and timing of movement, without regard for the forces
that cause or result from the motion. The kinematics of an exercise
or a sport skill is known, more commonly, as form or technique.
What is kinetics?
Kinetics is the study of forces, including internal forces

(muscle forces) and external forces (the forces of
gravity and the forces exchanged by bat and ball).

What is kinesiology?
Kinesiology
Adapted physical
Biomechanics education
Exercise
physiology Motor behavior Athletic training
Sport history Pedagogy
Sport philosophy Sport art Sport psychology
Kinesiology is the study of human movement.

What is sports medicine?
Sports Medicine
Biomechanics Athletic training
Exercise Cardiac
physiology Physical therapy rehabilitation
Motor control Sport nutrition
Other medical
Sport psychology Orthopedics specialties
Sports medicine is an umbrella term that encompasses both

clinical and scientific aspects of exercise and sport.
What questions or problems
are studied by
biomechanists?

What questions are studied by biomechanists?
When not subject to
gravitational force,
astronauts lose significant
amounts of bone mass.
(Bone atrophies when not
subjected to forces.)
Exercise, however, is
known to increase bone
mass. So what kinds of
exercise should astronauts
do while in space in order
to preserve as much bone
as possible?

Whether lifting
weights or lifting
boxes in industry,
the act of lifting
places major
mechanical stress
on the low back.
What lifting
kinematics
(techniques) can
minimize this
stress?

How do toddlers
learn to balance
their torsos on little
legs unaccustomed
to walking? (This
question spans the
fields of
biomechanics,
motor learning, and
motor
development.)

Pitching can lead to stress injuries of the

elbow and shoulder joints. What pitching
technique characteristics minimize the
mechanical stresses to these joints?

Recreational runners, as well as athletes in

many sports, often stretch before a work out.
Does this actually help or hinder performance?
(Increasing evidence suggests the latter…)

What biomechanical elements of running

technique enable some sprinters to dominate
over others who are just as well trained and
have just as strong physiological attributes?

Qualitative vs. Quantitative:
• qualitative: pertaining to quality (without the

use of numbers)
For example: strong, skillful, agile, flexible, fast
• quantitative: involving numbers
For example: running speed = 5 m/s
height = 1.75 m
mass = 68.2 kg

Quantitatively, the robot missed the coffee cup by 15 cm.

Qualitatively, he malfunctioned.

Coaches rely heavily on qualitative observations of athletes’

performances in formulating advice about technique.

Steps in Solving Formal Quantitative Problems:
• Read the problem carefully.
• List the given information.
• Write down what quantity is to be solved for.
• Draw a diagram of the problem situation.
• Select the appropriate formula to use.
• Review the problem statement to determine if
more information can be inferred.

Steps in Solving Formal Quantitative Problems:
• Substitute the given information into the

formula.
• Solve the equation for the unknown variable.
• Do a “common sense” check of the answer.
• Box in your answer, including the correct units
of measurement.

1-20
1-21
1-22
1. Two schoolchildren race across a playground for a ball. Tim starts running at a distance of 15 m from
the ball, and Jan starts running at a distance of 12 m from the ball. If Tim’s average speed is 4.2 m/s and
Jan’s average speed is 4.0 m/s, which child will reach the ball first? Show how you arrived at your answer.
(Answer: Jan reaches the ball first.)
2. A 0.5 kg ball is kicked with a force of 40 N. What is the resulting acceleration of the ball?
(Answer: 80 m/s2)
3. An orienteer runs 300 m north and then 400 m to the southeast (at a 45° angle to north). If he has run
at a constant speed, how far away is he from the starting position?
(Answer: 283.4 m)
4. John is out for his daily noontime run. He runs 2 km west, then 2 km south, and then runs on a path
that takes him directly back to the place he started at.
a. How far did John run?
b. If he has run at an average speed of 4 m/s, how long did the entire run take?
(Answers: a. 6.83 km; b. 28.5 min)
5. John and Al are in a 15 km race. John averages 4.4 m/s during the first half of the race and then runs at
a speed of 4.2 m/s until the last 200 m, which he covers at 4.5 m/s. At what average speed must Al run to
beat John?
(Answer: > 4.3 m/s)
6. A sailboat heads north at 3 m/s for 1 hour and then tacks back to the southeast (at 45° to north) at 2
m/s for 45 minutes.
a. How far has the boat sailed?
b. How far is it from its starting location?
(Answers: a. 16.2 km; b. 8.0 km)
1-23
Thank You
1-24

CH 01

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CH 01

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

CH 01

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 1

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

What we visually observe of a body in motion is called the

Kinetics is the study of forces, including internal forces

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Sport history Pedagogy

Sport philosophy Sport art Sport psychology

Kinesiology is the study of human movement.

Biomechanics Athletic training

Motor control Sport nutrition

Sports medicine is an umbrella term that encompasses both

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Pitching can lead to stress injuries of the

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Recreational runners, as well as athletes in

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

What biomechanical elements of running

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

• qualitative: pertaining to quality (without the

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Quantitatively, the robot missed the coffee cup by 15 cm.

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Coaches rely heavily on qualitative observations of athletes’

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

• Substitute the given information into the

Basic Biomechanics, 6th edition

You might also like