Biomechanics and Motor Control of Human Movement

Looks at human body movement as a mechanical system and examines techniques used to measure and analyze all body movements. Each limb of the body is treated as a separate segment connected at hinge joints. Muscles are replaced by actuators and the net effect of all muscles is replaced by torque motors. The characteristics of those actuators are documented, along with their neural control as represented in the readily available electromyographic signal. The book's organization is such that description of the movement is covered first, followed by chapters that examine the cause of the movement at kinetic and electromyographic levels. Will appeal to all those involved in the study of a wide variety of human movement problems--from pathological gait to chronic running injuries. Material on biomechanical techniques contributes to the understanding of such everyday movements as walking and lifting. Information is integrated with a common set of data and analyses. In addition, basic physics principles are presented in capsule form for ease of use. This text is a substantial revision of the widely used Biomechanics of Human Movement, updated and retitled to reflect progress in the field.