The reader will find in this book a new approach to improving health. The author has called this approach “sanomechanics,” combining the Latin sanus (healthy, sound) and mechanicus (science of the motion of bodies subjected to forces). The focus of sanomechanics is on exercising with an understanding of the biomechanical consequences of the actions. This understanding is based on the author’s theory of the floating skeleton, which postulates a hydraulic connection of synovial joints. The theory explains the greater or lesser success of any exercise utilizing the ability of the human skeleton to absorb and transform forces and moments from the body segments and the environment. This ability vanishes with age and illnesses, and the deeper our understanding of the nature of skeletal functioning is, the better we shall be able to improve, protect, and prolong the skeleton’s health.

Biomechanics of Human Motion: Basics and Beyond for the Health Professions presents a straightforward approach to the basic principles, theories and applications of biomechanics and provides numerous techniques and examples for approaching biomechanical situations enhanced by healthcare professionals. Building on his previous work, Dr. Barney LeVeau uses clearly defined, concise terms and real-life applications rather than advanced mathematics to make teaching and learning biomechanics easier. Based upon the concept of force, the text illustrates how force is applied to the human body and how the body applies force to various objects. The emphasis is upon the pertinent factors that guide the reader to an understanding of biomechanics at a beginning level. Chapter Topics Include: • Strength of material such as loading and stress-strain relationships • Composition and Resolution of Forces such as graphic method and mathematical method • Equilibrium such as static, first condition and second condition • Dynamics such as kinematics and kinetics • Application such as stability and balance, motion analysis, and gait What’s Inside: • Simple explanations of biological & mechanical concepts • Contemporary articles at the end of each chapter providing readers with information beyond the basics • Over 240 images illustrate biomechanical situations and computations • User-friendly, uncomplicated mathematical formulas and examples Biomechanics of Human Motion: Basics and Beyond for the Health Professions provides students and clinicians of all allied health professions with a basic background and solid foundation on which to build a solid understanding of force and biomechanics.

Biomechanics of the Human Body teaches basic physics concepts using examples and problems based on the human body. The reader will also learn how the laws of mechanics may help to understand the conditions of the static and dynamic equilibrium of one of the marvels of nature: the human body. The mathematical language used in physics has always been pointed out as responsible for students’ difficulties. So, each concept given is followed by explanatory examples, with subsequent application and fixation exercises. It is a richly illustrated book that facilitates the comprehension of presented concepts. Biomechanics of the Human Body can be useful to students of physical and occupational therapy, physical education, the life sciences, and health care professionals who deal with biomechanics. This book is also recommended for sport practitioners as well as the general reader interested in the mechanics of the human body.

Biomechanics aims to explain the mechanics oflife and living. From molecules to organisms, everything must obey the laws of mechanics. Clarification of mechanics clarifies many things. Biomechanics helps us to appreciate life. It sensitizes us to observe nature. It is a tool for design and invention of devices to improve the quality of life. It is a useful tool, a simple tool, a valuable tool, an unavoidable tool. It is a necessary part of biology and engineering. The method of biomechanics is the method of engineering, which consists of observation, experimentation, theorization, validation, and application. To understand any object, we must know its geometry and materials of construc tion, the mechanical properties of the materials involved, the governing natural laws, the mathematical formulation of specific problems and their solutions, and the results of validation. Once understood, one goes on to develop applications. In my plan to present an outline of biomechanics, I followed the engineering approach and used three volumes. In the first volume, Biomechanics: Mechanical Properties of Living Tissues, the geometrical struc ture and the rheological properties of various materials, tissues, and organs are presented. In the second volume, Biodynamics: Circulation, the physiology of blood circulation is analyzed by the engineering method.

Please note: This text was replaced with a fourth edition. This version is available only for courses using the third edition and will be discontinued at the end of the semester. Taking a unique approach to the presentation of mechanical concepts, Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise eBook, Third Edition With Web Resource, introduces exercise and sport biomechanics in simple terms. By providing mechanics before functional anatomy, the book helps students understand forces and their effects before studying how body structures deal with forces. Students will learn to appreciate the consequences of external forces, how the body generates internal forces to maintain position, and how forces create movement in physical activities. Rather than presenting the principles as isolated and abstract, the text enables students to discover the principles of biomechanics for themselves through observation. By examining ordinary activities firsthand, students will develop meaningful explanations resulting in a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanical concepts. This practical approach combines striking visual elements with clear and concise language to encourage active learning and improved comprehension. This updated edition maintains the organization and features that made previous editions user friendly, such as a quick reference guide of frequently used equations printed on the inside cover and review questions at the end of each chapter to test students’ understanding of important concepts. The third edition also incorporates new features to facilitate learning: • Two online resources incorporate sample problems and use of video to allow practical application of the material. • New art and diagrams enhance problem sets and help students visualize the mechanics of real-world scenarios. • Increased number of review questions (200) and problem sets (120) provide an opportunity for practical application of concepts. • Greater emphasis on the basics, including improved descriptions of conversions and an expanded explanation of the assumption of point mass when modeling objects, provides a stronger foundation for understanding. • New content on deriving kinematic data from video or film and the use of accelerometers in monitoring physical activity keeps students informed of technological advances in the field. Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise eBook, Third Edition With Web Resource, is supplemented with two companion resources that will help students better comprehend the material. Packaged with this e-book, the web resource includes all of the problems from the book, separated by chapter, plus 18 sample problems that guide students step by step through the process of solving. This e-book may also be enhanced with access to MaxTRAQ Educational 2D software for Windows. MaxTRAQ Educational 2D software enables students to analyze and quantify real-world sport movements in video clips and upload their own video content for analysis. The software supplements the final section of the text that bridges the concepts of internal and external forces with the application of biomechanics; it also provides an overview of the technology used in conducting quantitative biomechanical analyses. The MaxTRAQ Educational 2D software must be purchased separately to supplement this e-book at the MaxTRAQ website. Instructors will benefit from an updated ancillary package. An instructor guide outlines each chapter and offers step-by-step solutions to the quantitative problems presented, as well as sample lecture topics, student activities, and teaching tips. A test package makes it easy to prepare quizzes and tests, and an image bank contains most of the figures and tables from the text for use in developing course presentations. Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise, Third Edition, is ideal for those needing a deeper understanding of biomechanics from a qualitative perspective. Thoroughly updated and expanded, this text makes the biomechanics of physical activity easy to understand and apply.

Focusing on the quantitative nature of biomechanics, this book integrates current literature, meaningful numerical examples, relevant applications, hands-on exercises, and functional anatomy, physics, calculus, and physiology to help students - regardless of their mathematical background - understand the full continuum of human movement potential.