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Bio-Mechanics
By
Dr. Waleed M. AL-Talabi

Sana’a Community College

Biomedical Engineering 4th Level
2021-2022

Introduction to
Biomechanics
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Agenda
• Introduction.

• Biomechanics Definitions

• History of Biomechanics

• Types of Biomechanics

• Basic Terms of Biomechanics

• Importance of Biomechanics
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Introduction

Mechanics

Study of physical actions and forces.

Bio-Mechanics

The research and analysis of the

mechanics of living organisms.

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Introduction
Mechanics/
Biomechanics

Deformable
Rigid Body Fluid
Body

Statics Dynamics Elasticity Plasticity Viscoelasticity

Liquids Gases
Kinematics Kinetics

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Definitions of Biomechanics
• In general, biomechanics is concerned
with the application of classical mechanics
to various biological problems.

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Definitions of Biomechanics
• A field that combines the disciplines of
biology and engineering mechanics and
utilizes the tools of physics, mathematics,
and engineering to quantitatively or
qualitatively describe the properties of
biological materials.

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Definitions of Biomechanics
• The science concerned with the internal and
external forces acting on the human body and
the effects produced by these forces.

• The principles of engineering, specifically

mechanics, applied to human movement.

• The application of mechanical laws to living

structures.

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History of Biomechanics
• 650 B.C – 200 A.D
• Histories of sciences usually begin with
the ancient Greeks

• Knowledge and myth were separated

developing what we would call today “true
scientific inquiry”

• Observation to develop theories

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History of Biomechanics
• Aristotle (384 – 322 B.C)

“Father of Kinesiology”
His book “About the movement of Animals”

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History of Biomechanics
• Archimedes (287- 212 B.C)
He claimed that he would be able to move the
Earth if he only had a place to stand in order
to do so.
He used a close approximation for π to
measure volumes and areas of solids
He established statics and hydrostatics

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History of Biomechanics
• Galen (131- 201 A.D)
First “sport physician” and “team
doctor” in history – “Father of
Sports Medicine”.
“On the function of the parts” – first
text on physiology.
Distinguished between skeletal
muscles and muscle parts, such as
the heart and the stomach.

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History of Biomechanics
• Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
 He focused on experimentation
(Telescope).
 Mechanical aspects of bone structure
and allometry.
 Provided Foundation for Newton’s 3
laws.
 Theory of uniform motion, projectiles,
inclined plane, and he defined
momentum.

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History of Biomechanics
• Rene Descartes
 Cartesian Coordinate System.
 One of the first to use a mathematical
approach to analyzing mechanics & applied
it to the human body.

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History of Biomechanics
• Giovanni Alfonso Borelli (1608-1679)
 Discovered forces required for equilibrium
in various joints of the body before Newton
developed his laws.
 Determined human’s COG (The Center of
Gravity).
 Calculated inspiration and expiration
volumes.
 One of the first men to understand that the
levers of the musculoskeletal system
magnify motion rather than force.
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History of Biomechanics
• Isaac Newton
 Mathematical Principles of Natural
Philosophy.
 Book I: Science & mechanics
3 Laws (Inertia, acceleration, & action-reaction)
 Book II: New scientific philosophies
Descartes & Kepler
 Book III: Applications of his dynamics
Law of gravitation

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History of Biomechanics
• Daniel Bernoulli 1700 – 1782
Family of mathematicians
Hydrodynamics
Bernoulli’s principle

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History of Biomechanics
• Kinesiology Era vs. Biomechanics Era
 Kinesiology Era
 “…Spans the first 6 decades of the 20th Century and represents the
infancy of biomechanics”
 Kinesiology comes from two Greek verbs that translated literally means
“the study of movement.”
 Biomechanics Era
 Begins in the 1960’s to the present.
 Biomechanics begins to branch away from Kinesiology and become its
own discipline.
 Graduate programs begin in universities and creation of scholarly
societies.
 New research and development.
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History of Biomechanics
Biomechanics Era: Research/Instrumentation
 Most important: incorporation of the digital computer to collection and
analysis of biomechanical data.

 1970’s: primary focus was instrumentation

 Cinematography: design of the LoCam 16-mm motion picture camera
which permitted film rates up to 500 frames per second.
• Allowed for accuracy of frame rate and small enough to take into
the field for on-site research.
 Kistler force plate to measure forces.
 3D cinematography: more realistic.
 Electronic digitizer.

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History of Biomechanics
Biomechanics Era: Research/Instrumentation
 1980’s:
 data analysis systems that permit the automatic tracking of reflective
markers placed on the body
 New systems for measuring pressure distribution between the foot
and shoe have advanced research in kinetics.

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HISTORY OF BIOMECHANICS

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Types of Biomechanics
Biomechanists use the principles of mechanics
in the analysis of human movement to answer
questions such as:

1. How can human performance be enhanced?

2. How can injuries be prevented?

3. How can rehabilitation from injury be

expedited?
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Types of Biomechanics
Orthopedic:
• Growth, Damage, and Healing of Bones, Joints, Spine,
Cartilage, Tendons, Ligaments...
• Artificial limbs, joints, and orthoses to improve functional
movement capacity.
• Gait and Falls

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Types of Biomechanics
Occupational: Ergonomics and human factors reduction of
workplace injuries. (Lower Back Pain)

Cardiovascular: Cardiac assist devices, blood flow.

Rehabilitation: Assistive technology.
Nature: Plants, Animals.

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Types of Biomechanics
Exercise and sport biomechanics
Improving athletic performance,
Reduction of athletic injuries.
By understanding and applying mechanical concepts, sports
biomechanists assess the most optimal way to move the
body in order to achieve maximal performance, whilst
minimizing risk of injury.

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Types of Biomechanics
Clinical Biomechanics
Clinical biomechanists analyze the mechanics of injured
patients and provide feedback (biofeedback) to restore
normal function.

Biomechanics of other biological systems

• Comparative biomechanics (e.g., swimming in fish,
locomotion in apes).
• Equine (horse) and canine (dog) racing performance.

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Basic Terms
• Mechanics: is a branch of physics that is
concerned with the motion and deformation of
bodies that are acted on by mechanical
disturbances called forces.

• Statics: is the study of forces on rigid bodies at

rest or moving with a constant velocity. (The study
of equilibrium or balance)

• Dynamics: deals with bodies in motion. (The study

of disequilibrium)

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Basic Terms
• Rigid body: is one that cannot be deformed.

• Elastic body: is defined as one in which all

deformations are recoverable upon removal of
external forces.

• Plastic body: undergoes permanent

(unrecoverable) deformations.

• Viscosity: is a fluid property which is a quantitative

measure of resistance to flow.
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Basic Terms
• Kinematics: is a branch of dynamics that deals
with the geometry and time-dependent aspects of
motion without considering the forces causing the
motion. (Study of the variables that describe or
quantify motion (e.g, how fast, how high, etc. such
as displacement, velocity, and acceleration))

• Kinetics: is based on kinematics, and it includes

the effects of forces and masses in the analysis.
(Study of the variables that cause or influence
motion (Forces, Torques, Mass ))

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Basic Terms
• Length: is a concept for describing size
quantitatively.
• Time: is a concept for ordering the flow of events.
• Mass: is the property of all matter and is the
quantitative measure of inertia.

• Inertia: is the resistance to the change in motion

of matter. Inertia can also be defined as the ability
of a body to maintain its state of rest or uniform
motion.

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Basic Terms
• Force:
– is the mechanical disturbance or load.
– is the action of one body on another.
– the force applied on a body which causes the
body to move, deform, or both.

• Moment or torque: is the quantitative measure of

the rotational, bending or twisting action of a force
applied on a body.

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Basic Terms
• Velocity:
– is defined as the time rate of change of position.
– The time rate of increase of velocity, on the
other hand, is termed acceleration.

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Importance of Biomechanics
• The development of the field of biomechanics
has improved our understanding of many
things, including
 normal and pathological situations,
 mechanics of neuromuscular control,
mechanics of blood flow in the microcirculation,
 mechanics of air flow in the lung, and
 mechanics of growth and form.

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Importance of Biomechanics
contributed to the development of medical
diagnostic and treatment procedures.
provided the means for designing and
manufacturing medical equipment, devices, and
instruments, assistive technology devices for
people with disabilities, and artificial
replacements and implants.
suggested the means for improving human
performance in the workplace and in athletic
competition.
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Bio-Mechanics
Thank You

Questions