The module aims to provide students with a detailed working knowledge of the anatomy of the human musculoskeletal system and relevant supporting structures; and 2) a basic understanding of mechanical principles and their applications to sports performance and human movement in general. We will work by specifying a question about an aspect of sports performance, and then examining the mechanical principles that allow us to answer this question.
Total Contact Hours: 44
Private Study Hours: 256
Total Study Hours: 300
* Online Test 1 (1 hour) - 20%
* Online Test 2 (1 hour) - 20%
* Online Test 3 (1 hour) - 20%
* Written Report (2,000 words) - 40%
* Hamill, J. and Knutzen, K.M. (2014) Biomechanical basis of human movement. 4th Ed. London: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
* Hay, J.G. (1993) The biomechanics of sports techniques. 4th Ed. Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice-Hall.
* McGinnis, P. (2020) Biomechanics of sport and exercise. 4th Ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
* Nordin, M. and Frankel, V. H. (2012) Basic biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system. 4th Ed. London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
* Nigg, B. and Herzog, W. (2007). Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System. 3rd Ed. Chichester: Wiley & Son.
* Palastanga, N. and Soames, R. (2018). Anatomy and Human Movement. 7th edition, London: Churchill Livingston.
* Winter, D. A. (2009) Biomechanics and Motor Control of Human Movement. 4th Ed. Chichester: Wiley & Son
1. Identify the major bones, muscles and joints of the human body, and be able to relate their structure to functional movements
2. Define basic biomechanical terms including: kinematic terms such as velocity and acceleration, force, mass, work, energy.
3. Apply Newton's Laws and the impulse-change in momentum relationship to basic two dimensional whole body movement.
4. Use basic trigonometric and algebraic techniques to manipulate and solve equations of uniform acceleration.
5. Describe the effect of air resistance on performance in sports such as cycling and tennis.
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