Table of contents

Introduction: Why Study Biomechanics
What Is Biomechanics?
What Are the Goals of Sport and Exercise Biomechanics?
The History of Sport Biomechanics
The Organization of Mechanics
Basic Dimensions and Units of Measurement Used in Mechanics

Part I: External Biomechanics: External Forces and Their Effects on the Body and Its Movement

1. Forces: Maintaining Equilibrium or Changing Motion

What Are Forces?
Classifying Forces
Friction
Addition of Forces: Force Composition
Resolution of Forces
Static Equilibrium

2. Linear Kinematics: Describing Objects in Linear Motion

Motion
Linear Kinematics
Uniform Acceleration and Projectile Motion

3. Linear Kinetics: Explaining the Causes of Linear Motion

Newton’s First Law of Motion: Law of Inertia
Conservation of Momentum
Newton’s Second Law of Motion: Law of Acceleration
Impulse and Momentum
Newton’s Third Law of Motion: Law of Action-Reaction
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation

4. Work, Power, and Energy: Explaining the Causes of Motion Without Newton

Work
Energy
The Work–Energy Relationship
Power

5. Torques and Moments of Force: Maintaining Equilibrium or Changing Angular Motion

What Are Torques?
Forces and Torques in Equilibrium
What Is Center of Gravity?

6. Angular Kinematics: Describing Objects in Angular Motion

Angular Position and Displacement
Angular and Linear Displacement
Angular Velocity
Angular and Linear Velocity
Angular Acceleration
Angular and Linear Acceleration
Anatomical System for Describing Limb Movements

7. Angular Kinetics: Explaining the Causes of Angular Motion

Angular Inertia
Angular Momentum
Angular Interpretation of Newton’s First Law of Motion
Angular Interpretation of Newton’s Second Law of Motion
Angular Impulse and Angular Momentum
Angular Interpretation of Newton’s Third Law of Motion

8. Fluid Mechanics: The Effects of Water and Air

Buoyant Force: Force Due to Immersion
Dynamic Fluid Force: Force Due to Relative Motion

Part II: Internal Biomechanics: Internal Forces and Their Effects on the Body and Its Movement

9. Mechanics of Biological Materials: Stresses and Strains on the Body

Stress
Strain
Mechanical Properties of Materials: The Stress–Strain Relationship
Mechanical Properties of the Musculoskeletal System

10. The Skeletal System: The Rigid Framework of the Body

Bones
Joints

11. The Muscular System: The Motors of the Body

The Structure of Skeletal Muscle
Muscle Action
Muscle Contraction Force

12. The Nervous System: Control of the Musculoskeletal System

The Nervous System and the Neuron
The Motor Unit
Receptors and Reflexes

Part III: Applying Biomechanical Principles

13. Qualitative Biomechanical Analysis to Improve Technique

Types of Biomechanical Analysis
Steps of a Qualitative Biomechanical Analysis
Sample Analyses

14. Qualitative Biomechanical Analysis to Improve Training

Biomechanics and Training
Qualitative Anatomical Analysis Method
Sample Analyses

15. Qualitative Biomechanical Analysis to Understand Injury Development

Mechanical Stress and Injury
Tissue Response to Stress
Mechanism of Overuse Injury
Individual Differences in Tissue Threshold
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Affecting Injury
Sample Analysis: Overuse Injuries in Running

16. Technology in Biomechanics

Quantitative Biomechanical Analysis
Measurement Issues
Tools for Measuring Biomechanical Variables