Single-Joint Concepts & Lower

Extremity Biomechanics
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Created @November 9, 2021 1:18 PM

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Frame of Reference

depends on mode of investigation

Sports Sci uses clinical frame of reference

Intro
This lesson is the first step in integration by looking at the interaction of the various
parts:

how bones interact to allow movement (kinematics),

and how MTCs (Muscle-tendon complex) interact with joints to control

movement (kinetics)

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 1

 Clinical Reference Frames
In most cases, frame of reference is fixed and established in relation to Earth (Global
reference frame).
If frame of reference is located in a body opposed to earth, it is called local reference
frame
Clinical reference frame is an example of global reference frame

Origin at COM while standing at anatomical position and establish axes om the x,y,z
directions

Cardinal Planes
Sagittal Plane

anterior-posterior; x,y axes

Transverse Plane

superiorly-inferiorly; x,z axes

Frontal Plane

anteriorly-posteriorly; y,z axes

Direction of movement occurs parallel to the plane

If it's a rotation, it occurs about an axis perpendicular to that plane

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 2

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 3
 💡 Rotations occur in a plane about an axis that is perpendicular to that plane. If
the axis is oblique, the plane of movement will not be coincident with any of
the cardinal planes

To avoid this confusion, axes and planes should be fixed within segments and use local
reference frames

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 4

 💡 Clinical reference frames should be established for segments and not for the
body as a whole.

Kinematics
Kinematics can be broken down into two types:

Osteokinematics - Motions of bones

if interested in gross body movements

Arthrokinematics - Motions at joint surfaces

if interested in examining injury mechanisms at joints

Osteokinematics
Two types of measurement of Range of Motion
Absolute angle

angle between the long axis of the bone (segment) and a reference line
in the global reference (horizontal or vertical)

during gait, thigh is typically measured with respect to the horizontal global
reference frame

Relative angle

orientation of one bone (segment) is measured relative to the orientation of

another bone (segment).

Two Subtypes of joint angle

Included Angle

angle between the longs axis of two bones or segments

Anatomic Angle

angle a segment moved from the anatomical position

most often used clinically

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 5

 important to remember direction of movement

Figure 13.6A. The two segments are aligned in a neutral position. So the anatomic
angle is 0° even though they are 180° from each other (the included angle).

In Figure 13.6B, the joint is flexed 45° (anatomic angle), but the segments are 135°
apart (included angle).

💡 Joint motion is relative motion between segments and could be caused by

movement of either the proximal or distal segment.

Degrees of Freedom
If osteokinematic motion occurs about an axis, the bone is said to have a rotational
degree of freedom (DOF) in that plane.

So motion in two opposite directions counts as one DOF.

flexion and extension in the sagittal plane is a single DOF

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 6

 Because there are three planes of motion, a joint can have up to three rotational
DOFs

the largest available ROM is in the sagittal plane

less likely to get injured in this place because it is rare to exceed normal limits
of sagittal plane

Available motions for frontal and transverse plane can be small

easier to exceed limits → more likely to get injured

Anatomy Meets Mechanics

Available DOFs and amount of rotation available at each DOF are largely
determined by the anatomy of the joints

Joint surface of each bone has two principal directions

typically, one bone has a convex surface while the other has concave

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 7

 bony configuration and ligamentous constraints determine the function of a
particular joint

ligament prevent motion in certain directions while guiding motion in others

configuration of curvatures greatly effect amount of motion a joint has in each

direction

Functional Joint Classifications

Synarthrosis

allows no movement

zero rotational DOFs

Amphiarthrosis

allows limited movements

zero rotational DOFs

Diarthrosis

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 8

 freely movable joint

allows 0-3 DOFs

Joint Classifications by number of DOFs and motion allowed

Joint
Characteristics Examples
Classification

Intertarsal joints of the

Planar zero rotational DOFs, no axis or rotation (AOR)
foot and intercarpal joints
(gliding) allow translation between the bones
of hands
one DOF, AOR is closer to the perpendicular of the elbow, ankle,
Hinge
long axis of the bones interphalangeal joints

one DOF, AOR is closer to parallel of the long axis

Pivot proximal radioulnar joint
of the bones

two DOFs, two AOR, the convex surface in both

Condyloid Wrist, tibiofemoral joints
directions is located in the same bone
First carpometacarpal
two DOFs, two AORs, one bone is convex surface
Saddle joint of the thumb, and
in one direction and concave in the other
the sternoclavicular joint

three DOFs, no AOR , center of rotation in the

Spherical (Ball hip and glenohumeral
center of the ball instead. Movement can occur
and socket) joints
about any axis it passes through the center

Arthrokinematics

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 9

 Arthro = joint → Joint movement
movement of one joint surface relative to another

Three types of arthrokinematic motion

Gliding

same point of convex surface is in contact on may points on concave surface

e.g. sliding car on ice with brakes on

Spinning

many points on convex surface in contact with the same point on the concave
surface

e.g. stuck car tire in mud but still stepping on gas

Rolling

combination of both spinning and gliding

many points on the convex surface come in contact with many points on the
concave surface

With Linear translation,

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 10

 every point on a body moves with the same linear velocity

with, Rotation

the linear velocity is perpendicular to the long axis of the rotating body

the linear velocity of any point during rolling is the vector sum of these two
velocities

So for the convex surface to spin, rolling and gliding of the convex bone must be in
opposite directions

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 11

 If concave surface is moving on the convex surface, the concave bone must move in
the opposite direction of the convex bone in the previous scenario

maintains same relative motion between two bones

Single-Joint Concepts & Lower Extremity Biomechanics 12