Explore the World of Biomechanics: From Human Movements to Plant Cells

Biomechanics is the science of how body structures of a living body work together to move. Involves the study of coordination between muscles, ligaments, and bones in enabling body movements. Biomechanics extends from body movements to blood movement mechanics, renal functioning, and many more body functions (McBain et al., 2012).

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The study of biomechanics not even involves humans but also includes other living animals and broadens further to plants and how cells work mechanically. Biomechanics is simply a subdivision of kinesiology with specifications on movement mechanics. It can be either basic science or applied science because it accommodates both research and practical use of the findings. Elements such as statics, dynamics, kinematics, and kinetics are used in biomechanics.

Human movement biomechanics involves the study of body tissues and how the body of a person functions by using principles together with mechanics methods of both engineering and physics. Kinesiology is the study of motion, and it involves body movement mechanics and how they affect our health and wellbeing (Vanrenterghem et al., 2017). Kinesiology accumulates several major academic sciences such as biomechanics, musculoskeletal anatomies, physiological exercise, development of equipment, and psychosocial.

The significant objectives of kinesiology are to enable relaxation, to correct the alignment and body posture, to increase the mobility of joints, muscle strength improvement, and exercising. Body coordination control and stamina, respiratory and sensory reeducation are also main objectives of kinesiology. The study of the body in its ability to do work has its foundations in mechanics, physiology, and anatomy.

Biomechanics being the study of forces and its impacts on living systems of both animals and plants, there are goals for its existence. There are two main goals of biomechanics, which are to understand ways to improve performance and to prevent injury (Armour, 2014). To fulfill the goals, one has to improve the athlete's techniques. Team coaches and trainers think of the best methods that work best to teach them to their athletes or the team. Biomechanics researchers conduct studies to come up with new techniques that can be used to improve performances or prevention of injury.

Movement analysts, such as occupational therapists, use biomechanics knowledge in their respective fields. For instance, the occupational therapist uses the technique of breaking everyday activities into smaller movements to minimize injuries and improve the performance of the patients. A person with a disability that hinders them from doing a particular task, the occupational therapist will then split the job into smaller movements. The splitting helps the patient to think and perform each of the small divided actions over and over again until they can do the task (McBain et al., 2012).

Another goal for biomechanics is to comprehend how the fundamental laws of engineering, together with mechanical physics, can influence and design the structure and general functioning of the body. It enables one to understand himself or herself and appreciate the operation of the body. One can understand how force is produced by the body to initiate, maintain, or slow down movements when one is exercising. About the structure, a person can know forces from surrounding and how it would impact body functioning.

The main application areas of biomechanics are enhancing body movement skills for exercise and task effectiveness, acquisition of motor skills, innovating equipment, for prevention of injuries, and guiding rehabilitation and treatment of patients (Nantel et al. 2010). Bio mechanists are capable of working in different fields and environments, which include but not limited to clinical biomechanist, forensic biomechanist, a specialist in sports performance, ergonomist, and lecturer in a university. Working in a different setting is enabled because the goals on biomechanics are relevant in many scopes of physical activities.

Biomechanics is used in improving performance in sports or any other activity that requires technique as a significant determinant than the physical structure of capabilities of physiology. In a qualitative analysis of situations by coaches, biomechanics knowledge is essential. Biomechanics is applied in innovating and designing equipment used in sports, which helps in improving sports performance. The changes in sports equipment change fluid forces leading to improving if results (Vogel, 2013).

Biomechanics is applied in research on the causes, treatments, and even how to prevent injuries from sports. The studies analyze the forces generated during exercise or performing a task that can lead to an injury. For example, that can lead to ankle strain and recommend ways on how a shoe can be designed of the playing pitch can be used to decrease the risk exposure of injury. Through the study of techniques in sports and training patterns, biomechanics develops means to make them perfect. For instance, specific research on how the position of hand during swimming affects propulsion helps in proposing new swimming training techniques bases on mechanical requirements of swimming.

Biomechanics is applied to individuals for active movement during exercise and sports movement through analyzing their progress and coaching (Trost & O'Neil, 2014). An individual having challenges in specific sport can be filmed, and recommendations drawn and presented to them on how to change and improve the skill.

References

Armour, K. (Ed.). (2014). Pedagogical cases in physical education and youth sport. Routledge. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8FWkAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=biomechanics+and+physiology+of+physical+activity&ots=W06xG1Oky0&sig=SEz5_oYZKaBIlLlD4Hgo84cSR2c&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=biomechanics%20and%20physiology%20of%20physical%20activity&f=false

McBain, K., Shrier, I., Shultz, R., Meeuwisse, W. H., Klugl, M., Garza, D., & Matheson, G. O. (2012). Prevention of sports injury I: a systematic review of applied biomechanics and physiology outcomes research. Br J Sports Med, 46(3), 169-173. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/46/3/169.short

Nantel, J., Mathieu, M. E., & Prince, F. (2010). Physical activity and obesity: biomechanical and physiological vital concepts. Journal of obesity, 2011. file:///C:/Users/Jog/AppData/Local/Temp/650230.pdf

Trost, S. G., & O'Neil, M. (2014). Clinical use of objective measures of physical activity. British journal of sports medicine, 48(3), 178-181. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/3/178.short

Vanrenterghem, J., Nedergaard, N. J., Robinson, M. A., & Drust, B. (2017). Training load monitoring in team sports: a novel framework separating physiological and biomechanical load-adaptation pathways. Sports Medicine, 47(11), 2135-2142. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0714-2

Vogel, S. (2013). Comparative biomechanics: life's physical world. Princeton University Press. https://books.google.co.ke/books?