BIE 3134

BIOMECHANICS
B.Burak ÖZHAN, PhD
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Manisa Celal Bayar Unıversity, Türkiye
What is Biomechanics?

Bio+Mechanics=Biomechanics 

Biomechanics is mechanics applied with living systems

MEE 4204 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN

What is Biomechanics?

 Biomechanics is an exciting and fascinating specialty with the goal of

better understanding the musculoskeletal system to enable the
development of methods to prevent problems or to improve treatment
of patients.

Biomechanics aims to explain the mechanics of life and living. From

molecules to organisms, everything must obey the laws of mechanics.
—Y.C. Fung (1990)
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What is Biomechanics?

 Biomechanics is the development, extension,and application of

mechanics for the purposes of understanding better the influence of
applied loads on the structure, properties, and function of living things
and the structures with which they interact.

MEE 4204 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN

What is Biomechanics?
 Biomechanics has increasingly become an interdisciplinary field where
engineers,
physicists,
computer scientists,
biologists,
and material scientists work together to support
physicians,
sports scientists,
ergonomists,
and physiotherapists and many other professionals.
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Principal Areas of Biomechanics

1- Performance : Walking, sitting, standing, reaching, throwing, kicking,

and carrying objects, operating vehicles or tools, and sport mechanics.
Internal movement and behavior such as blood flow, fluid circulation,
heart and muscle mechanics, and skeletal joint kinematics.

MEE 4204 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN

Principal Areas of Biomechanics

2- Injury : Failure and damage of biosystems as in broken bones, torn

muscles, ligaments, and tendons, and organ impairment, evaluation of
tissue properties, studies of accidents and the design of protective
devices.

MEE 4204 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN

Principal Areas of Biomechanics

3- Rehabilitation : Recovery from injury and disease. Rehabilitation thus

includes all applications of mechanics in the health care industries
encompassing such areas as design of corrective and assist devices,
development of implants, design of diagnostic devices, and tissue healing
mechanics.

MEE 4204 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN

Some Topics on Biomechanics
• Mechanics of Hard Tissue
• Musculoskeletal Soft Tissue Mechanics
• Joint-Articulating Surface Motion
• Joint Lubrication
• Analysis of Gait
• Mechanics of Head/Neck
• Biomechanics of Chest and Abdomen Impact
• Cardiac Biomechanics
• Heart Valve Dynamics
• Arterial Macrocirculatory Hemodynamics
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Some Topics on Biomechanics (ctd.)
• Mechanics of Blood Vessels
• The Venous System
• Mechanics, Molecular Transport, and Regulation in the Microcirculation
• Mechanics and Deformability of Hematocytes
• Mechanics of Tissue/Lymphatic Transport
• Modeling in Cellular Biomechanics
• Cochlear Mechanics
• Vestibular Mechanics
• Exercise Physiology
• Factors Affecting Mechanical Work in Humans
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Examples of Biomechanics Area
 Total hip replacement

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What is Biomechanics?

Since biomechanics can be defined as mechanics ; this question can also

be answered by answering the question

WHAT IS MECHANICS?

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What is Mechanics?

 Mechanics deals with static (equlibrium) and movement behaviours of a

matter which is effected by force.

or

 Study of what happens to a “thing” (the technical name is “BODY”)

when FORCES are applied to it.

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What is Mechanics?
From a historical perspective or viewpoint :

 Mechanics is the oldest of all physical sciences, dating back to the

times of Archimedes (287–212 BC).

 The most prominent contributors are;

Galileo (1564–1642) made the first fundamental analyses and
experiments in dynamics.
Newton (1642–1727) were to this field. Galileo, and Newton formulated
the laws of motion and gravity.
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Classification of Mechanics

Mechanics

Rigid Bodies Deformable Bodies Fluids

(Things that do not change shape) (Things that do change shape)

Statics Dynamics Incompressible Compressible

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Classification of Mechanics (in detail)

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There are five basic areas of study in mechanics:

1. Discrete mechanics,
2. Continuum mechanics,
3. Statistical mechanics,
4. Quantum mechanics,
5. Relativistic mechanics.

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Continuum Mechanics

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Continuum Biomechanics
Every continuum biomechanics problem can be addressed via the five
fundamental postulates of continuum mechanics by specifying three
things :

1. The geometry (i.e., the domain of interest),

2. The constitutive relations (i.e., how the material responds to applied
loads under conditions of interest), and
3. The applied loads (or associated boundary conditions).

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Continuum Biomechanics
A constitutive relation is but a mathematical descriptor of particular
behaviors exhibited by a material under conditions of interest; it is not a
descriptor of a material per se.

There are five steps in every constitutive formulation:

1. Delineate general characteristic behaviors.
2. Establish an appropriate theoretical framework.
3. Identify specific functional forms of the constitutive relation.
4. Calculate the values of the material parameters.
5. Evaluate the predictive capability of the final constitutive relation.
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General Scientific Approach

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Dimensions and Units

Four fundamental physical quantities (or dimensions).

• Length
• Mass
• Time
• Force

We will work with one unit system in Biomechanics:

• International System (SI) 22

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Dimensions and Units

 Spatial : Relating to or with respect to the three-dimensional world.

 Temporal : Relating to or with respect to time.
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Dimensions and Units

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How to solve problems? (Tips)

1. Interpret: Read carefully and determine what is given and what is to be

found/ delivered. Ask, if not clear. If necessary, make assumptions and
indicate them.
2. Plan: Think about major steps (or a road map) that you will take to
solve a given problem. Think of alternative/creative solutions and
choose the best one.
3. Execute: Carry out your steps. Use appropriate diagrams and
equations. Estimate your answers. Avoid simple calculation mistakes.
Reflect on and then revise your work, if necessary.

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Scalars and Vectors
Scalars Vectors
Examples: Mass, Volume Force, Velocity

Characteristics: It has a magnitude It has a magnitude

(positive or negative) and direction

Addition rule: Simple arithmetic Parallelogram law

Special Notation: None Bold font, a line, an

arrow or a “carrot”
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Biomechanics to biology and physics (mechanics)

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From a Cell to ....

Cell : The fundamental, structural, and functional unit of living

organisms.

Cell Cellulea “little rooms.” (Latin)

This terminology was coined by Hooke (1635–1703) who was perhaps the
first to describe a cellular structure.

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Biomechanics and Related Areas

 Kinesiology : Multidisciplinary study of human motion, including the

anatomical, biomechanical, cultural, motor, pedagogical, physiological,
psychological, and sociological aspects of motion.
 Ergonomics : Discipline concerned with human-machine interaction.
Ergonomists use many biomechanical techniques in analyzing the work
environment.

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Anthropometry

Anthropometry is the discipline that studies measurements of the body

and body segments in terms of height, weight, volume, length, breadth,
proportion, inertia, and other properties related to shape, mass, and mass
distribution. Anthropometrics basically describe the shape of the system.
 Body mass index (BMI) : Ratio of body mass to height used to
describe stature. Kg/m2
 Ponderal index (PI) : Ratio used to describe stature. Kg/m3
 Crural index (CI) : (length of tibia / length of femur) x 100
kg kilograms of body mass
m height in meters
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Anatomy

Terminology;
 To describe motion of the human body with consistency, researchers
must have a common reference system and use consistent
terminology. Much of the vocabulary used in biomechanics (and in most
other movement-related disciplines) is derived from the field of
anatomy.

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Anatomical position

Reference position defined by

standing erect with all joints extended,
feet parallel, palms facing forward,
and fingers together

The anatomical reference

position with directions indicated.

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Directional Terms
 Superior and inferior are used to describe being toward or closer to
the head and feet, respectively. For example, the knee is superior
relative to the ankle, but inferior to the hip. Cephalo or cranial may be
used instead of superior, and caudal is sometimes used in place of
inferior.
 Anterior means toward the front of the body, and posterior refers to
being toward the rear of the body. The pectoralis muscles are anterior
to the heart. Alternative terms for anterior and posterior are ventral and
caudal, respectively.

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Directional Terms
 Medial and lateral indicate position or movement toward and away
from the midline of the body, respectively. One of the quadriceps
muscles iscloser to the midline, and one is farther away from the
midline: thus, the names vastus medialis and vastus lateralis.

 Proximal means closer to the attachment of a limb to the body, and

distal indicates having a position farther from the attachment of the limb
to the body. The carpals are proximal to the phalanges.

 Superficial and deep describe relative proximity to the surface of the

body. The gastrocnemius is superficial to the soleus.
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Planes of system motion
Cardinal plane Plane that passes directly
through the midline of the body. Includes :

 Sagittal plane Vertical plane dividing

the body into right and left halves.
 Frontal plane Vertical plane dividing
the body into anterior and posterior halves.
 Transverse plane Horizontal plane
dividing the body into superior and inferior
halves.
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Axes of system motion
A segmental movement describes a
plane (planar motion) that rotates
around a theoretical axis (axial motion). Just
as there are three cardinal planes,
there are three axes of rotation:
 mediolateral
 anteroposterior
 superoinferior

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Axes of system motion

 Mediolateral axis Axis that passes horizontally side-to-side and is

perpendicular to the sagittal plane.

 Anteroposterior axis Axis that runs horizontally from front to back and
is perpendicular to the frontal plane of motion.

 Superoinferior axis Axis that passes up and down and is

perpendicular to the transverse plane.

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Planes, Axes, and the Center of Gravity
 The cardinal planes divide the body into equal
mass halves. Axes are formed by the
intersections of two planes. Because the cardinal
planes bisect the body, they must also pass
through the center of mass.
 Gravitational pull is concentrated at the center
of mass. So at least in the vertical axis, the
center of mass can be considered synonymous
with the center of gravity.

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Spatial Frames Of Reference
 To fully describe motion of the body system and its segments, we must
be able to specifically define its position or location in space. This goal
is achieved by establishing one or more frame of reference within a
Cartesian or rectangular coordinate system. An origin and two or
three orthogonal axes (each passing through the origin and defining
one spatial dimension) are used to define a Cartesian coordinate frame
of reference.

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Global Reference Frame
 Fixed axes relative to the system, one of which is parallel to the ground,
define the reference frame. This type of reference frame is called global
(also absolute, fixed, stationary, and inertial or Newtonian). A global
reference frame allows the position of any single point to be specified
with respect to the defined origin. In other words, this frame is used to
describe movement of the entire system as a whole relative to the start.

 However, to clearly describe the orientation of the entire system or the

individual segments of the system (as opposed to defining the system
as a single point moving in space), we must construct another
reference frame within our global frame that moves with the system.

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Local Reference Frame
 Second frame of reference is called local (also anatomical, cardinal,
moving, relative, segmental, and somatic) and has an origin and axes
attached to the body. The origin of the local reference frame is
established at the center of mass of the system or a system segment.
The axes are orthogonal, have the same handedness as the global
frame, and are aligned with those of the global frame when the system
is in the anatomical position

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Definitions
 Center of mass The point that represents the average location of a
system’s mass.
 Center of gravity The point at which the force of gravity seems to be
concentrated.
 Line of gravity A vertical line representing gravity that passes though a
system’s center of mass.
 Cartesian or rectangular coordinate system A frame of reference
defi ned by an origin and two or three orthogonal axes, each passing
through the origin and defining one spatial dimension.
 Origin (O) A stationary point in the environment, from which all
measurements are made.
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Definitions
 The center of mass (or center of gravity) of the system is at the
intersection of the three cardinal planes. All forces can be represented
with a line that possesses specific characteristics. Gravity can be
represented with a line called the line of gravity that passes through
the center of mass.

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Definitions
 Roll Rotation of a system around the x axis.

 Yaw Rotation of a system around the y axis.

 Pitch Rotation of a system around the z axis.

 Degrees of freedom (DOF) The number of independent ways in which

a system can move.

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Free Body Diagram
 A free-body diagram is a simplified representation of the system free
of the movement environment. The center of mass must be presented
because it is the point at which the force of gravity is concentrated.
Points of contact with the environment are important because these are
areas where the system is acted upon by external forces.

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Free Body Diagram
 In situations in which a joint (segmental link) in the body is the system
of interest, internal forces such as muscle forces and forces at the link
itself (joint reaction forces) are usually represented along with the
center of mass and environmental contact points (external forces).

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Motions in Sagittal Planes
Most body segmental links (joints) possess degrees of freedom in the
sagittal plane: ankle (talocrural), elbow, hip, interphalangeal,
intervertebral, knee, shoulder (glenohumeral), and wrist.

 Flexion : Segmental motion in a sagittal plane, around a mediolateral

axis, and away from the anatomical position.
 Extension : Returns a segment to the anatomical position in a sagittal
plane around a mediolateral axis and is described as increasing the
angle at the joint.

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Motions in Sagittal Planes

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Motions in Sagittal Planes

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Motions in Frontal Planes
 Body segmental links that are capable of frontal plane motion (around
an anteroposterior axis) are the foot (subtalar and transverse tarsal
joints), hip, intervertebral, metacarpophalangeal, shoulder, and wrist.

 Lateral flexion : Motion of the axial skeleton (at the intervertebral

joints) in the frontal plane around an anteroposterior axis.
 Abduction : Motion in a frontal plane and around an anteroposterior
axis that moves the segment away from the anatomical position.
 Adduction : Frontal plane motion that returns the segment to the
anatomical position.

MEE 4204 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN

Motions in Frontal Planes

 Eversion : Frontal plane motion around an anteroposterior axis such

that the sole of the foot rotates outward or laterally.
 Inversion : Frontal plane motion around an anteroposterior axis such
that the sole of the foot rotates inward or medially.
 Deviation : Frontal plane motion around an anteroposterior axis at the
wrist.

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Motions in Frontal Planes

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Motions in Frontal Planes

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Motions in Transverse Planes
 Skeletal segmental links with DOF in the transverse plane (around a
superoinferior axis) directly from the anatomical position are the hip,
intervertebral, shoulder, and radioulnar
 Pronation : Rotation at the radioulnar joint around a superoinferior axis
that causes the palm to turn toward the body (medially and posteriorly).
 Supination : Transverse plane motion that returns the radioulnar joint
toward the anatomical position (palm moves anteriorly).

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Motions in Transverse Planes

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Motions in Transverse Planes

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Motions in Oblique and Multiple Planes
 Some segmental link motions do not fi t into the cardinal planes and
axes described. Planes and axes can be oblique. Therefore, if a
segment is moved into an oblique plane before the motion of interest
occurs, the segmental link motion is also oblique or diagonal (e.g.,
oblique abduction). In addition, movements can occur in more than one
plane of motion, and some motions occur in planes but not around
axes.

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Motions in Oblique and Multiple Planes
 One segmental link motion that occurs in more than one plane (around
more than one axis) is called ‘circumduction’

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Using Terminology
Discussions of planes, axes, directions, and segmental motions:

 As can be seen, the cardinal planes (sagittal, frontal, and transverse)

and axes (mediolateral, anteroposterior, superoinferior) are very useful
for the description of musculoskeletal movement from the anatomical
position.
 As the anatomical position is a constant starting reference point, it is
accompanied by cardinal axes (and planes) that are always the same.
However, natural motion does not often begin in the anatomical
position.

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Using Terminology

 We need the ability to establish frames of reference outside of the body

and independent of the anatomical position.

 We need to define multiple frames of reference. Cartesian coordinate

frames of reference are very versatile. The x, y, and z are not only axes
that can be used in place of the cardinal axes but also form a frame of
reference in terms of planes and directions of motion of both individual
segments and the entire system.

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Movement
 Motion : A change in position with respect to both spatial and temporal
frames of reference.
 Force : Something that possesses the capability to cause a change in
motion or shape of the system.
 Relative motion : The motion of one object with respect to a reference
object.
 Translation : Motion along one of the x, y, or z axes; linear motion.
 Rotation : Motion around a fixed axis and therefore in a circular path;
angular motion.

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Movement
Translation :
 The linear path of a system in translation can be straight or curved. If
the path of the system is a straight line (i.e., no change occurs in
direction of motion), the motion is termed ‘rectilinear translation’.
 ‘Curvilinear translation’ is the same as rectilinear in terms of the
points on the system moving together, but in this case the path of the
representative point is curved (in an arc) instead of straight (i.e.,
direction of system motion is changing).

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Movement
 Because the path of motion of one point on a rotating system or system
segment describes a circle (and therefore the location of one segment
relative to another forms an angle), rotation is also called ‘angular
motion’. In the case of rotation, all points on the rotating segment have
the same angular displacement (; the Greek letter theta), measured in
degrees or radians. Each of the points on a rotating segment has a
different curvilinear displacement depending upon its distance from the
axis of rotation, called the ‘radius of rotation’

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Movement
 Spin : Occurs if all points on one articulating surface come in contact
with one point on another articulating surface.
 Glide : Sliding or pure translation in which a point on one surface glides
or skids over many points of an opposing surface.
 Roll : A combination of rotation and translation in which each point on a
surface contacts a unique location on the other surface.

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Movement
 In trying to describe motion of the system, using simplified models
(such as the free-body diagrams referred to earlier) is sometimes
helpful. Thus far in the process of defining the system and describing its
movements, we have modeled the human body system as having
multiple segments connected at links ( joints).
 At the basic structural and movement levels, a ‘kinetic chain’ is simply
a system of linked rigid bodies subject to force application. Because all
of the segments in the chain are linked together, motion at one link in
the chain affects force transfer and therefore motion at one or more
other links in the chain.

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Movement
 Kinetic chain : System of linked rigid bodies subject to force
application.
 Serial or simple kinetic chain : Kinetic chain in which each segment
participates in no more than two linkages.
 Complex kinetic (kinematic) chain : Kinetic chain in which a segment
is linked to more than two other segments.
 Mobility : The total degrees of freedom of a kinetic chain.

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Movement
 Complex kinetic chain

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Movement
 Open kinetic chain : Kinetic chain in which motion can occur at one
link in the chain without cooperative motion at other links.

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Movement
 Closed kinetic chain : Kinetic chain in which motion at one link is only
possible with cooperative movement at other links.

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Movement
 Functional kinetic chain A complex kinetic chain in which some links
are involved in open chain motion and others are engaged in closed
chain motion.

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Movement

 Functional Anatomy : Skeletal muscles produce force required to

move the joints through their many degrees of freedom. We usually
represent muscle force with one vector, when in reality multiple muscles
are responsible for the action at a given joint.

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Motions in Transverse Planes

 In trying to describe motion of the system, using simplified models

(such as the free-body diagrams referred to earlier) is sometimes
helpful. Thus far in the process of defining the system and describing its
movements, we have modeled the human body system as having
multiple segments connected at links ( joints).
 At the basic structural and movement levels, a ‘kinetic chain’ is simply
a system of linked rigid bodies subject to force application. Because all
of the segments in the chain are linked together, motion at one link in
the chain affects force transfer and therefore motion at one or more
other links in the chain.

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Motion of the System
Motion can be described in qualitative or quantitative terms.
Quantitative and qualitative methods should be viewed not as competing,
but rather as complementary, tools used to analyze movement
 Qualitative Motion Analysis : describes how the human body “looks”
upon visual inspection as it performs skills, including its position in
space, the position of body parts relative to each other, and in some
cases the position of segments of body parts in relation to each other.
 Quantitative Motion Analysis : also helps one develop the ability to
visually analyze motion to very quickly isolate the various factors
affecting the performance. However, a more specific analysis is often
needed. In other words, we sometimes need to quantify the movement.
Quantitative analysis may stem from the simple need for deeper
understanding of why the system moves the way that it does.
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Qualitative Motion Analysis

Composite approach : Qualitative analysis approach that views the

whole body as a system that progresses through stages or phases as it
refines movement patterns.

Component approach : Qualitative analysis approach that views the

body in component sections, with each section progressing through more
refined steps toward mature movement patterns.

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Quantitative Motion Analysis
 Scalar quantity : A quantity that can be fully specified simply with a
single numerical magnitude of appropriate units.
 Mass : The quantity of matter of which a body is composed.
 Inertia : A body’s resistance to having its state of motion changed by
application of a force.
 Vector quantity : A quantity that can only be fully specified with a
magnitude of appropriate units and a precise direction. (Direction :
Sense or way in which a force is applied; represented by the tip of a
vector. Orientation : The alignment or inclination of the vector in relation
to the cardinal directions. Point of application : The point or location at
which a system receives an applied force; usually defined by the tail of
the vector.)
 Weight : Measure of the force with which gravity pulls upon an object’s
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MEE 4204 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN
Quantitative Motion Analysis
 Weight varies depending upon proximity to the center of the Earth, but
mass does not.

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Quantitative Motion Analysis
 Polar coordinate system A coordinate system in which the location of
the given point is defined by its distance (radius) r from the origin, and
by the angle θ between the chosen reference axis and the line formed
by connecting the given point to the origin.
 Plane polar coordinates Coordinates (r, θ) representing the location
of a point within a polar coordinate system.

It is sometimes more convenient and necessary to define a polar

coordinate system and locate a point in space using its plane polar
coordinates. We must also be able to transform Cartesian coordinates
into polar coordinates, and vice versa.
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Quantitative Motion Analysis
 The points have the same angular displacement but two different
curvilinear displacements.

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Muscles and Motion
 Motions of the skeletal system are made possible through contraction
of skeletal muscle.
 In general, a muscle has two points of
attachment: a proximal attachment
(sometimes called an origin) that tends
to be at a relatively immoveable location,
and a distal attachment (sometimes called
an insertion) that tends to be on a relatively
moveable segment. The two attachments of the muscle (and therefore
two segments) are brought closer together during muscle contraction,
with the less stable end being moved closer to the more stable.
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Muscle force vectors.
 As we mentioned before we usually represent
muscle force with one vector, when in reality
multiple muscles are responsible for
the action at a given joint.
For example, the quadriceps femoris muscle
(rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis,
and vastus medialis) produces four forces, with
different lines of action simultaneously acting upon a
common point of application (the tibial tuberosity through the patellar
tendon). We have four muscle force vectors, with one resultant vector
producing the final motion of the tibia relative to the femur
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Muscle force vectors
 A single force can have multiple directional effects (i.e., can be resolved
into a vertical (perpendicular) component and a horizontal (parallel)
component).
 A single muscle force vector can also be resolved to observe two
different effects. To resolve muscle force vectors, we use a somatic
reference system.

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Muscle force vectors
 Rotary component : The vertical or perpendicular component of a
muscle force vector representing the amount of force that would tend to
cause joint rotation.
 Stabilizing component : The horizontal (parallel) component of a
muscle force vector directed toward the joint, representing the amount
of force that would tend to stabilize the joint.
 Destabilizing component : The horizontal (parallel) component of a
muscle force vector directed away from the joint, representing the
amount of force that would tend to destabilize the joint.

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Muscle force vectors

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Types of Forces
Field (non-contact) force: A force that acts at a distance without making
contact with the object that it is affecting. There are the four types of field
forces, and they are in order of strongest to weakest:

 Strong nuclear force : Force that occurs between subatomic particles,

preventing the nucleus of an atom from exploding due to protons
producing a repulsive electric force.
 Electromagnetic force : Force that occurs between electric charges.
 Weak nuclear force : Force that is a product of some radioactive
decay processes.
 Gravitational force : Force that exists between bodies of mass.
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Types of Forces

Contact forces : They are exactly what their name implies: the result of
physical contact between two bodies.

For example:
 During jumping, the feet contact the ground to apply the force.
 If you hit a baseball with a bat, there is physical contact.

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Types of Forces
 External forces : Forces that interact with the system from the outside.

 Internal forces : Forces that act within the defined system.

Only external forces can cause a change in the motion of a system

(Newton’s first law of motion), whereas internal forces can change only
the shape of the system. If you jump from a diving platform, gravity
changes your state of motion and pulls you toward Earth. In this example,
the system is defined as the whole body. As a result, muscle forces in this
case are internal (acting inside the system). Since the only forces that can
change the state of motion of a system are external, muscle forces can
change only the shape of the system in our example. 86

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Types of Forces
 Action force : The initially applied force.
 Reaction force : The simultaneous equal counterforce acting in the
opposite direction to the action force.
 Friction : The force that resists the sliding of two objects in contact.
 Normal force : Force that acts downward on one surface and upward
on another.
 Ground reaction force : An equal and oppositely directed normal force
from the earth.

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Force an Pressure
The terms pressure and force are sometimes used interchangeably.
However, pressure is the magnitude of applied force acting over a given
area (1 N/m2 = 1 Pa).

Pascal’s law : Pressure applied to a fluid is transmitted undiminished to

every point of a fluid and to the walls of the container.

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Human Frame Model

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 89

Human Skeleton

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 90

Major Joints

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 91

Major Muscle Groups

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 92

Anthropometric Data

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 93

Supports (Joints)

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 94

Supports (Joints)

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 95

Supports (Joints)

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 96

Skeletal Joints

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 97

Mechanics of Elbow

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 98

Example

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 99

Rotational and stabilizing/sliding
components of muscle force of elbow

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 100

The joint reaction forces of elbow

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 101

Mechanics of Elbow

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 102

Mechanics of Elbow

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 103

Mechanics of Shoulder

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 104

Mechanics of Shoulder

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 105

Example

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 106

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 107
Mechanics of Spinal Column

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 108

Mechanics of Spinal Column

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 109

Example

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 110

Mechanics of Hip

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 111

Mechanics of Hip

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 112

Example

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 113

Mechanics of Knee

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 114

Mechanics of Knee

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 115

Example

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 116

Biomechanics of Ankle

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 117

Biomechanics of Ankle

BIE3134 BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN 118

Degrees of Freedom
 Many joints of the body vary in their degrees of freedom. Therefore, a
wide range of muscles and muscle attachments is needed to move the
segments of our skeletal system through all of the available degrees of
freedom.
 Degrees of freedom (DOF) is the number of independent ways in which
a system can move or the number of values required to completely
describe system motion relative to the established coordinate reference
frame.
 In some cases, increasing the available DOF at a segmental link is
accomplished by having many muscles of both a uniarticular and
multiarticular nature (e.g., the shoulder area has many muscles).
Having one multiarticular muscle perform more than one function can
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Degrees of Freedom
 A multiarticular muscle may have a specific insertion point that adds
additional capabilities. For example, the biceps brachii can cause elbow
flexion and shoulder flexion. But because its insertion is on the radius
rather than on the ulna, it is also a powerful supinator of the forearm.

 When analyzing the full capabilities of a muscle, one must consider

location and number of articulations in addition to specific origin and
insertion.

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Degrees of Freedom
 ss

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Moment Arm
 There are two moment arms are of interest:
(1) the moment arm for the muscle and (2) the moment arm for the
resistance.

Muscle force vector, moment arm, Change in muscle angle of

and axis of rotation. pull and length of moment
MEE 4204 INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS_B.Burak ÖZHAN