Biomechanics (ENT 218/3)

Fundamentals of Biomechanics, 2nd edition, presents a clear, conceptual approach to understanding biomechanics within the context of the qualitative analysis of human movement. The philosophy is to blend up-to-date biomechanical knowledge (with extensive referencing for student study) with professional application knowledge. This true application of biomechanics in real-world settings is missing in previous biomechanics texts. The text provides real-world examples of the application of biomechanics several ways. Like other texts, human movement examples and problems are discussed to help teach biomechanical variables and concepts. This text, however, goes beyond this physics class with sport example approach. First, nine principles of biomechanics are developed throughout the book to link theoretical knowledge with practical/professional principles and application. These nine generic application principles are based on the laws and concepts of biomechanics, so they can be applied to all human movements. There principles help PETE majors address standard 2 on applying movement concepts and principles in physical education (NASPE, 1995). Most biomechanics texts that have tried to develop principles for application have created many specific observations about many categories of human movement, so students tend to get lost. Second, the last section of the book develops the application of biomechanics in qualitative analysis of several movements in four professional areas: physical education, coaching, strength & conditioning, and sports medicine. These guided tours of the application of biomechanics to solve human movement problems are similar to the extensive interdisciplinary qualitative analysis tutorials in Knudson & Morrison (2002).

Availability of advanced computational technology has fundamentally altered the investigative paradigm in the field of biomechanics. Armed with sophisticated computational tools, researchers are seeking answers to fundamental questions by exploring complex biomechanical phenomena at the molecular, cellular, tissue and organ levels. The computational armamentarium includes such diverse tools as the ab initio quantum mechanical and molecular dynamics methods at the atomistic scales and the finite element, boundary element, meshfree as well as immersed boundary and lattice-Boltzmann methods at the continuum scales. Multiscale methods that link various scales are also being developed. While most applications require forward analysis, e.g., finding deformations and stresses as a result of loading, others involve determination of constitutive parameters based on tissue imaging and inverse analysis. This book provides a glimpse of the diverse and important roles that modern computational technology is playing in various areas of biomechanics including biofluids and mass transfer, cardiovascular mechanics, musculoskeletal mechanics, soft tissue mechanics, and biomolecular mechanics.