LEVERS

The Levers are normally used to make physical work easier, for example, to make it
easier to move something that is heavy, or to move something quickly. When we exercise
most of our movements will involve the use of levers. For example, when we run, lift
weights, kick or throw a ball, all of these actions will involve the use of levers. A lever
system within the body would use a lever (bone) to move an object, for example, when we
run we are the object being moved, but when kicking a ball, the object being moved is the
ball.

-All lever systems are made up of four components:

 the load
 the fulcrum
 the effort
 the lever

The load is the object requiring moving, the effort is the muscular force we use to move the
object, the fulcrum is the joint around which the movement occurs and the bones of the
skeleton are the levers. If asked to sketch a diagram of a lever system, you would need to
include all four parts. To get the idea, we can use non-sporting examples of leaver system

A. Imagine a road is blocked with a fallen tree. A tree would be too heavy to lift, but a person
could move the tree a little by using a lever system. By placing one end of a long length of
wood under the fallen tree and then pushing down on the other end of the wood, the fallen
tree could be moved.

B. Wheelbarrows are used to move heavy objects more easily. The heavy object is placed in
the wheelbarrow and then the handles lifted to push the wheelbarrow containing the heavy
object.

 Lever systems – created in the body by the musculo -skeletal system

 Components of a lever system– the parts that make up a lever system, for example, in the
body this would be a bone, a joint, a muscle and the body weight
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