1. Intro to Biomechanics Flashcards
What is Biomechanics?
the study of forces and their effects on living systems
Who is Giovanni Alfonso Borelli?
What principle did he contribute to science?
Giovanni Alfonso Borelli (1608-1679) was a Renaissance Italian physiologist, physicist, and mathematician
● He contributed to the modern principle of scientific investigation by testing hypotheses against observation
● Trained in mathematics, he studied the mechanics of animal locomotion and used microscopy to investigate the stomatal movement of plants
Whos is Étienne-Jules Marey?
What was her major contribution?
Étienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904) was a French scientist, who was a pioneer of photography and an influential pioneer of the history of cinema
● Marey was interested in the “Animal Mechanism” and developed cameras that could record several phases of movement on one photographic surface (flying pelican captured in 1882
Who is Nikolai Bernstein?
What observation did he make?
(1896-1966)
A Soviet neurophysiologist who coined the word biomechanics
● in the field of motor control and motor learning; the field that examines how the CNS controls posture and movement
● His first scientific work was in 1922, when he examined movement during manual labour to optimize productivity
● His research showed that most movements are composed of smaller movements and if any one of these smaller movements are altered the movement as a whole is affected
How do we study Biomechanics?
Biomechanics deals with quantitative reasoning, the ability to reason quantitatively and to model and solve problems with quantitative methods
What are the 3 basic steps in solving a problem?
- Understand the problem (identify known and unknown information)
- Carry out a strategy for solving the problem (identify the process)
- Check your answer (identify what it means)
What are some subdivisons of mechanics/biomechanics?
- rigid body mechanics
- deformable-body mechanics
- fluid mechanics
- quantum mechanics
What are some reasons to study biomechanics?
- To improve performance by…
- Improving Technique
- Changing Equipment used
- Making modifications in training - To prevent and/or recover from injury
How do running shoes and high heels differ in capabilities when running?
■ Running shoes are stiffer and padded
■ Offer protection yet also alter technique and foot movement
■ High-heeled shoes provide limited support
■ The foot flexes more in high heels
■ Greater range of motion of the foot when wearing heels
■ Tissues that stretch act like a spring
How does the type of shoe you’re wearing affect how you land?
Runners wearing sneakers land heel first
Runners wearing heels land on the front-foot
The knee & ankle absorb less force when landing on front foot
What is Biotribology?
Biotribology, an applied subfields of biomechanics, examines how living systems interact with objects (i.e., contact surfaces) during motion
What is Orthotics?
Orthotics adjust and even out the contact forces between the foot and the ground to reduce pain and discomfort
What are the 3 primary dimensions of biomechanics?
Length – Measures distance or displacement.
Mass/Inertia – Represents the amount of matter in an object.
Time – Measures the duration of events or the interval between them.
What are the main branches of rigid-body mechanics?
Statics – The study of bodies at rest or in equilibrium, where the sum of forces and moments acting on the body is zero.
Dynamics – The study of bodies in motion, which is further divided into:
Kinematics: Focuses on the description of motion without considering the forces causing it.
Kinetics: Analyzes the forces and torques that cause or result from motion.
