ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book is devoted to fundamental methods of analysis. While research in biomechanics is closely related to advances in technology, it is believed that individual technological advances are often short-lived and that more long-term benefits are obtained by mastering the fundamental methods. Biomechanics may be conveniently divided into three principal areas: performance, injury, and rehabilitation. Performance refers to the way living systems do things. It includes routine movements such as walking, sitting, standing, reaching, throwing, kicking, and carrying objects. The book utilizes the fundamental methods to develop more advanced and computer-oriented methods. These include configuration graphs, lower body arrays, differentiation algorithms, partial velocity and partial angular velocity vectors, generalized speeds, and Kane’s equations.