KINEMATIC CONCEPTS

FOR ANALYZING
HUMAN MOTION
 FORMS OF MOTION
�Mosthuman movement is
general motion
⚫A complex combination of
�Linear and
�Angular motion
� GENERAL MOTION: involving
translation and rotation simultaneously

� LINEAR MOTION: along a line that

may be straight or curved, with all parts
of the body moving in the same direction
at the same speed

� ANGULAR MOTION: involving

rotation around a central line or point
 LINEAR
• FORMS MOTION
OF MOTION

• May also be thought of as motion along a line that

may be straight or curved, with all parts of the body
moving in the same direction at the same speed,
also known as translatory motion, or translation.

• Rectilinear – along a straight line

• Curvilinear – along a curved line
FORMS OF MOTION

� Angular motion – involving rotation around

a central line or point

� Axis of rotation – imaginary line

perpendicular to the plane of rotation and
passing through the center of rotation
 MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

� Before determining the nature of a movement,

the mechanical system of interest must be
defined.

� SYSTEM – a body or group of bodies whose

motion is being analyzed
� In many circumstances the entire
human body is chosen as the system to
be analyzed.
� The mechanical system to be analyzed
is chosen by the movement analyst
according to the focus of interest.
� Ex: An overhand throw
● The body as a whole displays general
motion
● Motion of the throwing arm is primarily
angular,
● An the motion of the released ball is linear.
STANDARD REFERENCE TERMINOLOGY
ANATOMICAL REFERENCE POSITION

• Erect standing position

with feet slightly
separated and arms
hanging relaxed at the
sides, with palms of the
hands, facing forward.
• considered the starting
position for body
segment movements
• Not a natural standing
position
STANDARD REFERENCE TERMINOLOGY
DIRECTIONAL TERMS
� Superior (cranial)
� Inferior (caudal)
� Anterior (ventral/volar)
� Posterior (dorsal)
� Medial
� Lateral
� Proximal
� Distal
� Superficial
� Deep
� SUPERIOR: Closer to the head
� INFERIOR: Farther away from the head
� ANTERIOR: Toward the front of the body
� POSTERIOR: Toward the back of the body
� MEDIAL: Toward the midline of the body
� LATERAL: Away from the midline of the
body
� PROXIMAL: Closer to the trunk
� DISTAL: Away from the trunk
� SUPERFICIAL: Toward the surface of the
body
� DEEP: Inside the body and away from the
body surface
 https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=iP7fpHuVaiA

� PLANE: A 2-dimensional surface with an orientation defined

by the spatial coordinates of three discrete points not all
contained in the same line

Plane Axis
Sagittal / Antero- Coronal or Frontal,
posterior Lateral

Coronal / Frontal / Sagittal or Antero-

Lateral posterior

Transverse /
Vertical
Horizontal
 STANDARD REFERENCE
TERMINOLOGY
ANATOMICAL REFERENCE PLANES

� Cardinal planes – 3
imaginary perpendicular
reference planes that divide
the body in half by mass
⚫ Sagittalplane
⚫ Frontal plane
⚫ Transverse plane
� SAGITTAL: Plane is which forward and backward
movements of the body and body segments occur.
� FRONTAL: Plane in which lateral movements of the body
and body segments occur
� TRANSVERSE: Plane in which horizontal body and body
segments movements occur when the body is in an erect
standing position

Although most human movements are not strictly planar, the

cardinal planes provide a useful way to describe movements that
are primarily planar.