Biomechanics: kines 374

• compression: pressing or squeezing force (directed axially through a body)
• tension: pulling or stretching force (directly axially through a body)
• shear: force directed parallel to a surface
• torsion: load producing twisting of a body around its longitudinal axis
• combined loading: the simultaneous action of more than one of the pure forms of loading (most common type on the human body)
• bending: asymmetric loading that produces tension on one side of a body'y longitudinal axis and compression on the other side
• stress: commonly used to describe force distribution within a body when an external force acts on it
• pressure is quantified as force per unit of area over which the force acts
• repetitive injury: repeated application of a subacute load that is usually of relatively low magnitude
• acute injury: application of a single force of sufficient magnitude to cause injury to a biological tissue
• acute loading produces acute injuries, and the causative force is termed: macrotrauma
• repetitive or chronic loading produces stress injuries, and the causative force is termed microtrauma
• statics: study of systems that are in a state of constant motion (either at rest or moving with a constant velocity)
• dynamics: study of systems subject to acceleration
• kinematics: study of the description of motion
• kinetics: study of the action of forces causing motion
• applications of biomechanics: performance, fitness, ergonomics, research, rehab/training
• force: a push or pull acting on a body
• force = mass x acceleration (m/s^2)
• torque: the rotary effect of a force
• torque = force x direction