Biomechanics Dr.

Ala’a Alrashdan

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Biomedical Engineering Biomedical engineering (BME) is the application of engineering principles
and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes

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Biomechanics

• Applies mechanical principles to the study of living systems.

• Physiology can no more be understood without biomechanics.

• For an organ, biomechanics helps us to understand its normal function, predict changes due to
alteration, and propose methods of artificial intervention. Thus diagnosis (of diseases), surgery,
prosthesis and orthosis are closely associated with biomechanics.

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Mechanics

Statics (constant state of motion (a=0) )

Motionless systems: kinetics

Constant Velocity systems: Kinematics + kinetics

Dynamics (acceleration present) Kinematics & Kinetics

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Laws of Motion

1. linear Movement 𝐹 = m𝑎

2. Rotational Movement 𝑀 = I 𝛼

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Static Equilibrium Conditions
Linear Motion Equilibrium

Rotational Motion Equilibrium

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Kinematics: study of the variables that describe or quantify motion

• Displacement (meters or rads)

• Velocity (m/s or rad/s)

• Acceleration (m/𝑠 2 or rad/𝑠 2 ) (Linear and Rotational)

Kinetics – study of the variables that cause or influence motion

• Forces

• Moments

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Kinematics vs Kinetics Multi-Segment Model
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Topics Covered

• Biomaterials Characteristics (Material strength, Material compatibility (interactions of medical

implants and the body))

• Ex. Tooth implants (Titanium: Good enough Strength and high compatibility)

• Biofluid mechanics in the cardiovascular (blood) and respiratory systems (air gases).

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Topics Covered (cont.)
Heat and mass transfer into biological tissues • Heat transfer  Ex. to diagnose tumors. • Mass
Transfer  Ex. the purification of blood in the kidneys and liver . “Biotransport Phenomena”

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Topics Covered (cont.) Biocontrol systems regulating:

• Metabolism (Hormones)

• Voluntary motion (NS+Sensory Systems)

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Open Loop vs Closed Loop

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Major sensory systems involved in balance and posture (Feedback)

1- Visual System: mainly involved in locomotion planning and avoiding obstacles.

2- The vestibular system: works such as a gyroscope that senses linear and angular
accelerations.

3- The proprioception system: which is a great number of sensors that are responsible for
body’s segments position and velocity, their contact with external environment, in addition
to the orientation of gravity[2, 4, 5, 6].

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Topics Covered (cont.)

• Kinematics and kinetics applied to study human body motion (ex. Gait)
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Motion Tracking System Motion Tracking System

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Subcategories of Biomechanics

Sports Biomechanics

• By understanding and applying mechanical concepts, sports biomechanists assess the most
optimal way to move the body in order to achieve:

 Maximal Performance

 Minimizing Risk Of Injury

 Minimizing Energy Consumption.

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Rehabilitational Occupational Biomechanics

• Human Body Movement Assessment.

• Design machines and workplace to enhance rehabilitation.

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Exoskeletons

Exoskeletons in Rehabilitation

Exoskeletons in Industry

Exoskeletons in armies

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Virtual Reality • Virtual reality (VR) is a computergenerated scenario that simulates a realistic
experience. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hocvsEM nWrA ‫ الشلل األرتعاشي‬:Disease Parkinson

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Tissue Mechanics Studying: Artificial limbs/tissues characteristics. Engineered tissues characteristics.
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Cellular Biomechanics Cell mechanics is a sub-field of biophysics that focuses on the mechanical
properties and behavior of living cells and how it relates to cell function.

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Cells attach themselves to the supporting surface in a discrete number of points. An image of the
actin network supporting the cell membrane, with forces acting on an interconnection point . At the
intersection point of the network the molecules are (weakly) cross -linked.

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Anthropometry • Anthropometry refers to the measurements of the human individual.

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• Industrial Design

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Any Questions? aarashdan@just.edu.jo