Kinesiology Course Lecture Notes

A collection of vocabulary terms and their definitions from the kinesiology lecture notes.

Kinesiology

The study of human movement.

Biomechanics

The study of the mechanical aspects of living organisms.

Kinetics

The study of forces that cause movements.

Kinematics

The study of motion without considering the forces that cause it.

Reference Position

Positions used as a baseline for describing movements.

Cardinal Plane

Two-dimensional space that subdivides the body into sections.

Axial movement

Movement that occurs around an axis.

Nonaxial movement

Movement that occurs without rotation around an axis.

Degrees of Freedom (DoF)

The number of independent movements a joint can perform.

Synovial Joint

A joint characterized by a fluid-filled joint cavity.

Flexion

Decreasing the angle between two body parts.

Extension

Increasing the angle between two body parts.

Abduction

Movement away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

Movement towards the midline of the body.

Tendon

A fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscles to bones.

Ligament

A fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to bones.

Meniscus

Crescent-shaped fibrocartilage structure found in certain joints.

Articular cartilage

Smooth tissue that covers the ends of bones at joints.

Proprioception

The sense of body position and movement.

Muscle Fiber Arrangement

The orientation of muscle fibers that affects force and range of motion.

Agonist

The muscle primarily responsible for a given movement.

Antagonist

The muscle that opposes the action of the agonist.

Isometric Contraction

A muscle contraction without motion.

Eccentric Contraction

A muscle contraction involving lengthening under tension.

Concentric Contraction

A muscle contraction involving shortening under tension.

Joint Stability

The ability of a joint to maintain its position and resist dislocation.

Gait

The manner of walking or moving on foot.

Posture

The position or alignment of the body parts in relation to each other.

Force Couple

Two or more forces acting in different directions to produce rotation.

Cervical Lordosis

An increased inward curve of the cervical spine.

Kyphosis

A rounding of the back resulting in a hunched posture.

Scoliosis

A lateral curvature of the spine.

Pelvic Tilt

The orientation of the pelvis in relation to the spine.

Foot Arch

The curvature of the foot that allows it to bear weight.

Neural Control of Posture

The nervous system's role in maintaining postural alignment.

Stretch Reflex

The automatic response of a muscle to being stretched.

End Feel

The sensation when passive movement is applied to a joint.