Introduction to Biomechanics for Human Motion Analysis
Edition: 2 edition
Publisher: Waterloo Biomechanics
Published: October 2004
Place of publication: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 268
ISBN-13: 9780969942030
Subjects: Biomechanics; Human mechanics; Kinesiology; Science/Mathematics
First sentence: Biomechanics is a multidisciplinary science with much of its foundation based upon the oldest field, mechanics.
Description: The field of biomechanics continues to change rapidly. At the time the first edition was published videographic analysis was displacing 16-mm cinefilm motion analysis. Now the biomechanist has a variety of systems for quantifying human motion from analog video (such as VHS, Beta, SVHS) to digital video (DV) to direct capture by DV cameras, charge-coupled devices (CCD) and infrared (IR) cameras. Not only have the means of capturing human motion improved but the software to digitize (locate coordinates of markers attached to the body) and analyze human motion has proliferated. These software simplify and automate the tasks of calculating kinematic information and of computing the kinetic characteristics, such as, the joint forces, the work done or the power produced by the muscles, of complex human motions.
In response to these changes, an additional chapter was added that illustrates how biomechanists analyze the motion of walking and the control of balance during gait. Distinguished Professor Emeritus Dr. David A. Winter, an expert in the fields of locomotor biomechanics and balance control during gait and posture provided the second half of this extra chapter on balance control. This chapter permits students to apply the knowledge gained in the first chapters to the analysis of real human movements.
Other enhancements to the previous edition include the addition of references and supplementary readings to most chapters as well as additional problems. Some of these problems, identified as optional, require a more theoretical analysis to further test knowledge of the principles of biomechanics. Added to chapter six is a section that discusses what physicists call pseudo-forces, including centrifugal, Coriolis and g-forces. Chapter seven has additional equations that define a method of determining internal mechanical work. In chapter nine, an alternate explanation for lift forces that considers Newton’s third law is outlined.
Finally a number of new photographs and stick-figure diagrams have been added to illustrate various biomechanical technologies and analyzed human motions. Overall the form and structure of the pervious edition has been maintained guided by the philosophy that the best way to learn physical and biomechanical principles is by applying them mathematically to solve realistic research questions. All examples were performed assuming two-dimensional motion to keep the mathematics relatively simple. The bibliography at the end of the text lists other texts that extend biomechanical analysis to three-dimensional motion.
I hope you find the second edition useful in teaching and learning about biomechanics. Be sure to visit the course website that I use with this textbook (http://www.health.uottawa.ca/biomech/courses/apa2313).
Notes: A solution manual for the odd-numbered problems may be found at http://www.health.uottawa.ca/biomech/watbiom/book5.htm.
Answers to all problems is available from the publisher at http://www.health.uottawa.ca/biomech/watbiom/index.htm.
Table of contents: label: 1.
title: Introduction
pagenum: 1; label: 2.
title: Fundamental Concepts of Biomechanics
pagenum: 14; label: 3.
title: Statics
pagenum: 27; label: 4.
title: Friction
pagenum: 61; label: 5.
title: Kinematics
pagenum: 74; label: 6.
title: Kinetics: Forces and Moments of Force
pagenum: 107; label: 7.
title: Kinetics: Impulse and Momentum
pagenum: 131; label: 8.
title: Kinetics: Work, Energy and Power
pagenum: 155; label: 9.
title: Fluid Mechanics
pagenum: 184; label: 10.
title: Applications
pagenum: 196; label: A.
title: Trigonometry
pagenum: 214; label: B.
title: Algebra
pagenum: 217; label: C.
title: Plane Geometry
pagenum: 219; label: D.
title: Vector Algebra
pagenum: 222; label: E.
title: Calculus
pagenum: 225; label: F.
title: Tables
pagenum: 231; label: G.
title: Glossary
pagenum: 235; label: H.
title: Bibliography
pagenum: 241; label: I.
title: Index
pagenum: 243; label: J.
title: Answers to Odd-numbered Questions
pagenum: 252; label: K.
title: Equations
pagenum: 255