Kinesiology 2241A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Human Musculoskeletal System, Sesamoid Bone, Anatomical Terms Of Muscle

• School: Western University
• Department: Kinesiology
• Course: Kinesiology 2241A/B
• Professor: Thomas Richard Jenkyn

Document Summary

To analysis the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system, we will look at the system as though it is a machine. In physics, a machine is a device or structure that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. The simple machine that we consider most often in biomechanics is the lever. A lever consist of a long rigid segment and a point of rotation called the fulcrum. Forces are applied to the rigid segment, the segment rotates about the fulcrum and a new force is created. So a lever changes the magnitude and direction of the forces applied to it. In the musculoskeletal system, the bones are the rigid segments and the joint are the fulcrums. Line of action tells us about lever arm. The force components break up into rotary component that creates rotation and how much of a component you get that maintains stability- point of application. Recall that muscle force is determined by three factors.