BASIC EXERCISE SCIENCE

INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN MOVEMENT

• human movement → functional integration of 3 system in human body
◦ nervous system
◦ skeletal system
◦ muscular system
• nerve, joint, muscle work together → produce human movement (kinetic
chain)

NERVOUS SYSTEM
• network of neurons (specialized cells) that
Training body's proprioception improves balance,
transmit and coordinate signals Coordination, posture, and enable body to adapt
→ communication network in the body -proprioception: body's ability to
• Divide into 2 parts: Sense relative positions of adjacent
1. Central Nervous System (CNS) Body parts.
2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
• Primary Functions
1. Sensory: ability of nervous system to sense change in internal and
external environment
2. Integrative function: ability of nervous system to analyze and interpret
sensory information
3. Motor function: neuromuscular response to the sensory information
• Anatomy of the Nervous System
◦ neuron: functional unit of nervous system
▪ specialized cell process and transmits info through electrical and
chemical signals
▪ form core of nervous system including:
• brain
• spinal cord
• peripheral ganglia
▪ 3 MAIN PARTS
1. cell body (soma): contain a nucleus and other organelles
(lysosomes, mitochondria, and Golgi complex)
2. axon: cylindrical projection from cell body transmit nervous
impulses to other neurons or effector sites
• part of neuron that provide communication from CNS to PNS
3. dendrites: gather info from other structure
◦ 3 Main Classes of Neurons
▪ Sensory (Afferent) neurons: respond to stimuli and transmit nerve
impulse from effector site to CNS
▪ Interneuron: transmit nerve impulse from one neuron to another
▪ Motor neuron: transmit impulse from CNS to effector sites
• Central and Peripheral
Nervous System
◦ Central Nervous System
(CNS)
▪ brain and spinal cord
▪ coordinate activity of body
parts
◦ Peripheral Nervous
System (PNS)
▪ connect CNS to body and
external environment
▪ connect nervous system
to activate different
effector sites
▪ relay information from
effector sites back to brain
via sensory receptor
▪ Nerves making up PNS
• 12 Cranial Nerves
• 31 Pairs of Spinal
Nerves
• Sensory Receptors
▪ Subdivided into:
• somatic nervous system: nerves that connect to extremities of
body and skeletal muscle
• autonomic nervous system: neural input to involuntary system of
the body
◦ ie: heart, digestive system, endocrine glands
◦ divide into:
▪ sympathetic system: increase levels of activation to prepare
for activity
▪ parasympathetic system: decrease level of activation during
rest and recovery
◦ Sensory Receptors: convert environmental stimuli into sensory info and
relay to brain and spinal cord
▪ 4 CATEGORIES
1. Mechanoreceptors: respond to mechanical forces (touch and
pressure)
2. Nociceptors: respond to pain (pain receptors)
3. Chemoreceptors: respond to chemical interaction (smell & taste)
4. Photoreceptors: respond (light)
• MECHANORECEPTOR
• sense distortion in body tissues
• located in muscles (MUSCLE SPINDLES), tendons (GOLGI TENDON
ORGANS), ligaments, and joint capsules (JOINT RECEPTORS)
• Muscle Spindles: receptors in muscles that run parallel to muscle fibers
◦ sensitive to muscle length and rate of change
◦ regulate muscle contraction → stretch reflex mechanism
▪ stretch reflex: normal protective response by body to stretch
stimulus prevent overstretching and muscle damage
• Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO's): located where skeletal muscle fibers insert
into the tendon
◦ sensitive to change in muscular tension and rate of tension change
◦ cause muscle to relax → prevent muscle from excessive stress or
possible injury

• Joint Receptors: located in and around joint capsules

◦ respond to pressure, acceleration, and deceleration of joint
◦ signal EXTREME joint positions → prevent injury
◦ initiate reflexive inhibitory response to surrounding muscle if too much
stress on joint
◦ ex: Ruffini endings and Pacinian corpuscles

• Physical Activity and Nervous System

◦ Early stages of training: MOST improvement comes from changes in
 how CNS controls and coordinates movement
◦ regular training and practice cause adaptations in CNS → greater
control of movements and better performance

SKELETAL SYSTEM
• provide shape and form for our bodies
◦ support, protect, allow bodily movement, produce blood for body, store
minerals
• vital part of human movement via interaction of muscular and skeletal
systems
• muscle connect to bones by tendons
• joints: junction of bones connected by muscles and connective tissue
◦ where movement occurs as result of muscle contraction
• Division:
◦ Axial Skeleton: skull, rib cage, vertebral column
▪ about 80 bones
◦ Appendicular Skeleton: upper and lower extremities as well as shoulder
and pelvic girdles
▪ about 126 bones
• Bones 2 Vital Functions
◦ Leverage: act and perform as levels when acted on by muscles
◦ Provide support: correct posture efficiently distribute forces act on body
• Bones
◦ Bone Growth
▪ bone constantly renewed through → remodeling
• remodeling
◦ resorption: osteoclast break down old bone tissue and removed
◦ formation: osteoblast lay down new bone tissue to replace old
▪ new bone added faster than old bone removed until bone mass peak
in thirties
▪ remodeling tends to follow line of stress placed on bone
• Types of Bones:
◦ 5 Major Types of Bones
1. Long Bones
◦ long, cylindrical body (shaft) with irregular/ widened bony ends
◦ composed mostly of compact bone tissue → strength and stiffness
◦ have significant amount of spongy bone tissue → shock absorption
◦ Upper Body: clavicle, humerus, radius, ulna, metacarpals,
phalanges,
◦ Lower Body: femur, tibia, fibula, metatarsals, phalanges
• Anatomic Features of a Long Bone
• Epiphysis: end of long bone
◦ made of cancellous bone
 ◦ house red marrow (produce red blood
cells)
◦ primary site for bone growth
• Epiphyseal plate: region connect epiphysis to
diaphysis
◦ layer of subdivide cartilaginous cell
where growth in diaphysis length occurs
◦ cartilaginous cells arranged like column
of coins that calcify as they move towards
diaphysis
◦ damage here = shorter bone
• Diaphysis: shaft portion of long bone
◦ compact bone (hollow interior)
◦ main role = support
• Medullary Cavity: space run down the center
of diaphysis
◦ contain fatty, yellow marrow
◦ made of mainly adipose tissue → good
energy reserve
• Articular (Hyaline) Cartilage: cover end of
articulating bones
◦ hard, shiny, white tissue that, w/ synovial
fluid, help reduce friction in freely
movable (synovial) joints

2. Short Bones
◦ similar length and width → appear cubical in shape
◦ made of mostly spongy bone tissue → maximize shock absorption
3. Flat Bones: thin bones
◦ 2 layers of compact bone tissue surrounding layer of spongy bone
tissue
◦ protect internal structures
◦ provide broad attachment site for muscles
◦ sternum, scapulae, ribs, ilium, cranial bones

4. Irregular Bones
◦ unique shape and function that do not fit characteristics of other
categories
◦ ex) vertebrae, pelvic bones, some facial bones
5. Sesamoid Bones
◦ small bones embed in joint capsule or where tendon passes over
joint
◦ develop at site of considerable friction or tension → improve
leverage & protect joint from damage
• Bone Marking
◦ distinguishing structures on surfaces of bones
◦ increase stability in joins and provide attachment sites for muscles
◦ Depression
▪ flattened or indented portions of
the bone
▪ Fossa: an attachment site
▪ Sulcus: groove in a bone that allow
soft tissue to pass through

Glenoid cavity
(fossa)

◦ Processes
▪ projection from bone to which muscles, tendons, and ligaments attach
▪ Common names
• Process:
◦ EX) spinous process on
vertebrae
▪ acromion and coracoid
process on scapulae

• Condyles:
◦ inner and outer portion at bottom of femur and top of tibia (form
knee)
• Epicondyle
◦ inner and outer portion of humerus (form elbow)
• Tubercle
◦ located at top of humerus @ glenohumeral (shoulder) joint
• Trochanter: tope of femur and attachment site for hip muscles
VERTEBRAL COLUMN
• series of irregularly shaped bone called vertebrae
• allow humans to stand upright and maintain their balance
• attachment for muscles, ribs, and organs
• protect the spinal cord
• 5 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES
1. Cervical Vertebrae
◦ First 7 vertebrae (C1-C7)
◦ flexible framework
◦ support and motion for head
2. Thoracic Vertebrae
◦ 12 vertebrae (T1-T12)
◦ upper and middle back
◦ move w/ ribs to form rear anchor of rib cage
◦ increase in size from top to bottom
3. Lumbar Vertebrae
 ◦ 5 vertebrae (L1-L5)
◦ largest in spine
◦ support most of the body's weight and attached to many of the
back muscles
◦ subject to largest forces and stresses along the spine
4. Sacrum
◦ triangular bone below lumbar vertebrae
◦ 4-5 sacral vertebrae fused together
5. Coccyx
◦ 3-5 bones fused together
• INTERVEBRAL DISCS
◦ between vertebrae
◦ made of fibrous cartilage
◦ act as shock absorbers and allow the back to move
• Optimal arrangement of curves → neutral spine
◦ vertebrae and associated structure under least amount of load
◦ posterior cervical curvature → posterior concavity of cervical spine
◦ anterior thoracic curvature → posterior convexity of the thoracic spine
◦ posterior lumbar curvature → posterior concavity of lumbar spine

JOINTS
• formed by one bone that articulates with another one
• joint motion → arthrokinematics
◦ 3 Major Motion Types
1. Rolling: joint rolls across surface of another
2. Sliding: join surface slides across another
3. Spinning: joint surface rotates on another