Human Movement

Flashcards about human movement concepts

Kinematic Data

Designed to describe human motion.

Examples of Kinematic Data

Joint angle, step length, and step width. These can be visualized and measured to describe movement.

Kinetic Data

Designed to explain the cause of human movement.

Example of Kinetic Data

Force, which can explain step length (e.g., 100 Newton force explains a 1-meter step length).

Biomechanical Mechanism

Shows the combination of kinematic and kinetic data, which helps in understanding how movements occur mechanically.

Reference Point

Necessary to measure or quantify movement. Without it, a point in space has no meaningful biomechanical information.

Gate Velocity

A vector quantity that measures the shortest distance from start to end, divided by time. Example: 130 meters in 40 seconds equals 3.25 m/s.

Gate Speed

A scalar quantity that calculates the total distance traveled, divided by time. Example: 300 meters in 40 seconds equals 7.5 m/s.

Biomechanical Science

The process of converting what we cannot understand into what we can understand by number, especially in biomechanics and movement science, using kinematic and kinetic information.

Perspective About Human Movement

Movement is the outcome of interaction between ourselves and the external environment. It's not solely decided or controlled by the individual.

Therapeutic Environment

The concept of designing an environment that induces or drives interaction to optimize movement, often used in physical therapy. It involves changing the environment to influence movement, such as using water or resistance.

Flexion Torque

Torque created by gravity and body weight, an external and uncontrolled force that the body responds to in order to create smooth, controlled motion.

Modifying External Environment

The external environment can be modified to induce desirable movement, such as aquatic therapy for cerebral palsy to relieve hypertonia or anti-gravity treadmills to eliminate gravity.

Two Command Centers of Movement

Every movement is brain activity, but the external environment also plays a crucial role. Consider both when addressing movement issues.

Impact of Environment on Movement

If a patient has difficulty moving, assess the environment. Psychological factors, such as fear, can significantly restrict movement.

Fear Avoidance Patterns

Patients may avoid movements due to fear, even if they are physically capable. Communication among health professionals is essential to address these psychological factors.

Intensity of a Task

Can be controlled by changing the intensity of the task, which influences mindset and behaviors. This highlights the importance of designing a therapeutic environment for effective movement.

Parkinson's Disease Fall Interpretation

Highlights that even with the same clinical outcome (e.g., three falls), different levels of physical activity and fear avoidance behavior can indicate different levels of risk and impact treatment strategies.

The Clinician's Role in Recovery

If a patient trusts you, they are more likely to confront their fears and achieve recovery.