<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is BIOMECHANICS? </span></h1>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Introduction:</span></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics is defined as mechanics applied to biology, and mechanics itself is the response of bodies to forces or displacements (ScienceDirect). When looking at what Biomechanics is we can define this into two categories, Extrinsic biomechanics and Intrinsic biomechanics. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The purpose of having an understanding of these different ways to interpret human biomechanics is to clarify how to choose where to study and what careers are potentially available</span>

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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Extrinsic Biomechanics</span></h2>
<b>Extrinsic Biomechanics</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> looks at movements, the measurement of those movements or tasks, then establishes the most efficient way of performing them; it is an important science that is relevant to any sport, health, fitness or work-related physical conditioning. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">We need to understand the principles of movement analysis to appreciate the following aspects of mechanics to then be able to apply them to biomechanics:</span>

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<ol>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Definitions</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">3. Levers</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Equilibrium </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">4. Turning forces</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">It is important to understand these basic mechanical principles and apply them to simple single joint movements before moving on to the more advanced ‘functional’ movements. This is where intrinsic biomechanics is key.</span>

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Intrinsic Biomechanics </span></h2>
<b>Intrinsic biomechanics </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">is how the body works mechanically during</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">the performance of a movement or task. This has a major impact on how the body compensates during the performance of extrinsic biomechanical movements or tasks. Often the body is merely compensating for intrinsic biomechanical faults during functional tasks and the more we practice those tasks or movements, the more we have to compensate, and so the risk of injury increases.</span>

What is biomechanics used for?

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">In elite sports analysing video footage of an athlete's </span><b>extrinsic</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> biomechanics could</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">identify a hip drop in a runner causing an energy leak, or over-pronation during gait analysis on a treadmill &amp; power production through pressure plates of a cyclist’s pedals.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This analysis can indicate to the coach that to optimise training an intervention may be required. However the </span><b>extrinsic</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> interpretation of biomechanics in these examples doesn’t identify which substructure is the culprit for the extrinsically observed ‘faulty’ performance since there are multiple joints and structures involved. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The hip drop for example could be caused by: </span>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Weak abductors </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lever lengths </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Femoral anteversion </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Coxa vara</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A combination of the above</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The science of </span><b><i>intrinsic</i></b><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> biomechanics</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is used for its objectivity in assessing (benchmarking) movement quality at each joint, system and structure throughout the entire body, thus giving more detailed information about which area, structure or movement may be the culprit. There can of course be more than one root cause to biomechanical issues but the assessment process used to understand </span><b>intrinsic</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> biomechanics gives immediate feedback when prescribing an intervention and re-testing immediately.</span>

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<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">Benefits of Biomechanics</span></h1>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The benefits of biomechanics as a science are vast and can be very complex but by</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">using the standardised assessment protocols from the </span><b>intrinsic</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> biomechanics model the system of application can be stunningly simple to use and interpret by any trainer or coach insured to do so. In fact it’s extremely safe as the assessments require no specialist equipment and the interventions are very low grade.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">There are elements of biomechanics that include understanding momentum, levers, the center of gravity and neuromuscular concepts of training models. These can also help a coach or trainer modify a movement programme to their client's ability, level or present assessment results and be more bespoke to their sport or chosen task.</span>

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<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics is evidence-based</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics can be measured </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanical assessments give a coach feedback on performance</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanical assessments help coaches understand the causes or risks of injury</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanical assessments inform exercise prescription </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanical study can deepen our understanding of movement </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A biomechanical approach to movement enables bespoke programming  </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A biomechanical approach to movement enables performance optimisation </span></li>
</ul>
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<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elements of Biomechanics</span></h1>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Principles of movement analysis using the science of biomechanics </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Those of us who prescribe exercises need to understand kinesiology, biomechanics, anatomy and physiology; and perhaps the least understood is the kinesiology and biomechanics aspects.  Unfortunately, without these critical areas of study, movement cannot be truly understood - and if we do not understand movement, we cannot understand the exercise.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are some examples of elements of a biomechanical approach to understanding and analysing movement.</span>

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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Equilibrium</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Equilibrium is often divided into 2 sections:</span>
<ol>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Static; which is concerned with the body in balance</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dynamic; which is concerned with the body in a range of motion.</span></li>
</ol>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Levers</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">A lever is a simple machine that enables work to be done more easily and/or more quickly by applying forces.  A lever consists of a straight bar with 3 points:</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Point 1. Where there is a fixed fulcrum </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Point 2. Where there is a resistance or weight acting upon the lever</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Point 3. Where the force or power is applied to the lever.</span><b> </b>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">This can be applied to the body when considering the bones as the lever, the joint as a fulcrum or pivot point and the muscles contracting to produce the force. </span>

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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Turning forces</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">As joints work through a full range, the forces acting upon it will change.  At the beginning of a lateral raise exercise, for example, the force of gravity acting upon the muscle will be low but when the arm is lifted to 90 degrees, the turning forces at this point are said to be maximal.  The effects of gravity and therefore the turning forces will be increasing towards maximum moving up to 90 degrees and decreasing again as the arm moves above 90 degrees</span>

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<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1338 alignright" src="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Biomechanics-Coach-CMYK-300dpi-300x100.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="100" />Careers in Biomechanics</span></h1>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Careers in biomechanics are greatly varied depending upon an individual's choice of</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">education and interpretation. </span>

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<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics Coach</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics Trainer</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics Instructor</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanist</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kinesiologist </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gait analyst </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Podiatrist </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanical engineer</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanical researcher</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Equine biomechanics specialist</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics analyst </span></li>
</ul>
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<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">Different Biomechanics qualification </span></h1>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics can be studied at university to become a sports scientist, podiatrist, sports physio, biomechanical engineer or researcher for example. These have a more </span><b>extrinsic</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> approach to understanding and studying biomechanics.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The alternative is the Diploma in Biomechanics Coaching which is more focused on the </span><b>intrinsic</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> biomechanics system. Made up of physical assessments that can be done without the need for expensive equipment or laboratory settings and is perfect for trainers,</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">coaches, movement professionals and sports therapists. This does not require a degree</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">level length of study but does require many of the elements of studying at a degree level.  </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">There are also workshop within the health and wellness sector that offer CPD certificates at lower levels in Biomechanics Training and Instruction. </span>

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<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conclusion</span></h1>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Biomechanics being a science to better understand human movement can be used for improving sports performance &amp; reducing risk Biomechanics is used for measuring, benchmarking and monitoring progress and performance. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Examples of biomechanics in sport are using gait analysis, angles of joints during certain movements, momentum and force generation to better understand risk and performance optimisation. </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The importance and benefit of biomechanics are that it provides evidence through the law of scientific principles.</span>

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