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Introduction to Safe, Efficient Movement: Key Concepts for Movement Analysis

Efficiency and Movement

  • Efficiency is described as the least amount of effort needed to accomplish a goal.
  • Sources of efficiency considerations come from multiple domains, including behavior, conditioning, and biomechanics.
  • Examples from running: economy of running, often discussed as running efficiency.
  • Personal observation: many people run inefficiently—arms swing in unintended ways, some have a leg kick, and some don't utilize the glutes effectively, despite the gluteus being a major hip extensor that can aid propulsion.
  • Key idea: by identifying what a person isn’t doing well, we can design programs (strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, etc.) to address those gaps for safe, effective, and efficient movement for clients, patients, and athletes.

Textbook Context and Course Orientation

  • Content is not directly in the Floyd textbook; there is a dedicated biomechanics textbook commonly used in the department authored by Hamilton.
  • The speaker emphasizes applying course concepts to what students have already learned in other classes and what they will learn in the future.
  • If students want to locate this content in a textbook, they can visit office hours to review Hamilton’s text together; the material is not tested explicitly as a standalone topic in this course.
  • The course encourages constant integration of concepts with movement analysis and real-world application.

Methods for Studying Safe, Effective, and Efficient Movement

  • Biomechanical methods exist (e.g., EMG, motion capture) but the emphasis here is on practical, everyday analysis.
  • Everyday contexts to analyze movement:
    • Washing hair (which muscles and joints are used?)
    • In a car, grabbing a seat belt and buckling up
    • In the weight room, performing reps of a deadlift and performing negatives (eccentric movements)
  • The objective is to observe how muscles, joints, and movement patterns operate in real-life tasks, not just in lab settings.
  • The overarching goal is to assess movement safely, effectively, and efficiently in daily activities.

Movement Analysis Project and Framework

  • The movement analysis project is the core assignment; all activities should tie back to this project.
  • Analysis steps:
    • Break down the skill: describe the movement and its purpose; determine if it can be broken into parts across movement phases.
    • Evaluate using movement standards (e.g., movement norms).
    • Prescribe corrections based on observed deviations from standard movement.
  • Movement standards are central; the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) provides a standard framework for evaluating movement quality.
  • Understanding normal movement enables identification of abnormal or atypical movement.
  • Corrections are described as prescriptions; students are encouraged to apply logical reasoning and anatomical knowledge to determine corrective actions.

Prescribing Corrections: How and Why

  • A correction is prescribed when a movement deviation is observed.
  • Common corrective logic:
    • If a muscle is too tight: lengthen it via stretching.
    • If a joint isn’t moving correctly due to muscle tightness: stretch the tight muscle to restore range.
    • If a muscle is too weak: strengthen it to restore balance (e.g., front vs. back, lateral vs. medial comparisons).
    • Use comparative analysis between opposing muscle groups to identify imbalances.
  • The process often involves collaboration with kinesiology peers and related professionals (e.g., athletic trainers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, sports medicine physicians) when more advanced intervention is required.
  • The goal is to implement targeted interventions that restore safe, effective, and efficient movement.

Analyzing Movement: Core Concepts and Terminology

  • Analysis focuses on describing the skill, its purpose, and whether it should be performed simultaneously or sequentially.
  • Continuum of movement organization:
    • Simultaneous movements: multiple body segments move together as a unit.
    • Sequential movements: actions occur in a sequence (one part moves before another).
  • Examples:
    • Squat: predominantly simultaneous—trunk upright, knees/hips, ankles coordinate in a single stability-demanding pattern.
    • Throwing: largely sequential—wind-up, stretch reflex, and rotation to maximize force production.
    • Shot put: combination of simultaneous control (holding and initiating motion) and sequential transfer of force to the object.
  • Segment concept: bones as the primary segments; consider which bone moved more, the plane and axis of movement, and the force direction.
  • Muscle actions to consider:
    • Isometric: stabilizing with no movement.
    • Concentric: muscle shortens to produce force.
    • Eccentric: muscle lengthens under load to control or slow movement (e.g., the down phase of a bicep curl or descending stairs).
  • The goal of breaking down these elements is to assess safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of movement.
  • Inefficiency or deviation can contribute to injury risk (e.g., excessive rotation during a curl could strain the labrum or lower back).

Types of Movement; Classifications of Activities

  • Balance activities: maintain posture and control body alignment.
  • Locomotion: moving the body through space (walking, running, skipping, jumping; can include activities like rollerblading or swimming).
  • Projection activities: use the body to impart motion to another object (throwing a dart, pitching, throwing a baseball/softball).
  • Object manipulation: move or manipulate objects (writing with a pen/pencil, playing a musical instrument, weightlifting to lift and lower loads).
  • Weightlifting: specifically involves lifting heavy objects and controlling them safely.
  • Power activities: maximize force production in the shortest possible time (explosive or rapid movements).

Internal vs External Forces; Practical Biomechanics

  • Internal forces originate from the body (muscle contractions, joint reactions).
  • External forces include resistive or environmental factors (air, friction, gravity, weight of an object).
  • The analysis involves understanding how these forces are overcome or leveraged during movement to achieve safe, effective, and efficient outcomes.
  • The course points toward applying these concepts in practice rather than relying solely on lab-based measurements.

Practical Corrections and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

  • Once a movement issue is identified and a correction is prescribed, implementation often involves collaboration with other professionals:
    • Athletic trainers
    • Physical therapists
    • Occupational therapists
    • Sports medicine physicians
    • Strength and conditioning coaches
  • The corrective process is not just about the individual; it involves a team approach to ensure the movement issue is addressed comprehensively.

Why Kinesiology? What This Field Aims to Do

  • Kinesiology professionals aim to help people achieve movements safely, effectively, and efficiently.
  • Movement quality supports health and optimal function of body parts; good movement is linked to health and injury prevention.
  • Kinesiology provides a framework for understanding what to do and why, enabling informed coaching and patient/client education.
  • The discipline emphasizes communicating the rationale behind movement decisions to clients, enhancing engagement and understanding of the scientific basis.

Structural Kinesiology: A Foundation for Movement

  • Structural kinesiology focuses on how muscles attach to bones and how bones articulate to produce movement.
  • The shape and arrangement of bones influence the available ranges of motion and the timing of joint movements.
  • Understanding how joints move through different ranges of motion, with timing considerations, helps explain how to achieve safe, effective, and efficient movement.
  • Combined with movement standards and analysis, this knowledge supports both simultaneous and sequential movement strategies.

Course Progression and Final Thought

  • This introduction lays the groundwork for more terms and concepts to come in the next video.
  • Students are encouraged to continuously connect course content to the movement analysis project and real-world practice.
  • Stay curious about how everyday actions map to biomechanics principles, and consider how to improve safety, effectiveness, and efficiency in every movement.

Next Video Preview

  • The next video will introduce basic terms and vocabulary that will be used throughout the course to describe movement analysis with greater precision.