Movement Analysis

Select a course.

arrow_back

infoWhy this? Movement Analysis helps students understand how the knowledge of muscles, joints and movement is applied in real sporting situations. It demonstrates how the skeletal and muscular systems work together to produce movement and enables students to identify the actions occurring at joints and the muscles responsible for creating them. This understanding allows students to analyse and evaluate performance more effectively, linking theoretical knowledge to practical sporting examples.

scheduleWhy now? Movement Analysis is taught immediately after Applied Anatomy and Physiology because students need a secure understanding of the skeletal and muscular systems before they can accurately analyse movement. Having recently studied the structure and function of muscles, joints and movement terminology, students are well placed to apply this knowledge to sporting actions and performance. This sequencing supports understanding by allowing students to build directly on prior learning, making links between anatomical knowledge and the movements seen in physical activity.

The human body acts as a system of levers because bones act as levers, joints act as fulcrums and muscles provide effort.
Every lever system has three parts called the fulcrum, the effort and the load or resistance.
In a body lever, the fulcrum is the joint around which movement takes place.
In a body lever, the effort is the force produced by a contracting muscle.
In a body lever, the load or resistance is the body part being moved plus any external weight.
A first class lever has the fulcrum positioned between the effort and the load.
Elbow extension in a football throw-in or the upward phase of a push-up is a first class lever because the elbow is the fulcrum, the triceps apply effort and the forearm or body weight is the load.
A second class lever has the load positioned between the fulcrum and the effort.
Plantar flexion when taking off to jump or sprint is a second class lever because the ball of the foot is the fulcrum, body weight is the load and the calf muscles apply effort through the Achilles tendon.
A third class lever has the effort positioned between the fulcrum and the load.
Elbow flexion is a third class lever because the elbow is the fulcrum, the biceps apply effort and the forearm or any weight in the hand is the load.
Knee extension is a third class lever because the knee is the fulcrum, the quadriceps apply effort and the lower leg or foot is the load.
The class of a lever is identified by which component lies between the other two components.
A linear lever drawing must show the fulcrum, effort and load in the correct order for the class of lever.
A lever drawing should label the effort arm and the resistance arm from the fulcrum.
Mechanical advantage compares the length of the effort arm with the length of the resistance arm.
Mechanical advantage is calculated by dividing the effort arm by the resistance arm.
The effort arm is the distance from the fulcrum to the point where the effort is applied.
The resistance arm is the distance from the fulcrum to the point where the load or resistance acts.
A lever has mechanical advantage when the effort arm is longer than the resistance arm, so less effort is needed to move the load.
A lever has mechanical disadvantage when the effort arm is shorter than the resistance arm, so more effort is needed to move the load.
A lever with mechanical advantage has a mechanical advantage value greater than 1.
A lever with mechanical disadvantage has a mechanical advantage value less than 1.
Second class levers usually have mechanical advantage because the effort arm is longer than the resistance arm.
Plantar flexion at the ankle is a second class lever with mechanical advantage, which helps produce powerful take-off in jumping and sprinting.
Third class levers usually have mechanical disadvantage because the effort arm is shorter than the resistance arm.
Elbow flexion performed by the biceps is a third class lever with mechanical disadvantage because the effort arm is shorter than the resistance arm.
Third class levers are common in the body because they allow the load to move quickly through a large range of motion.
First class levers can have either mechanical advantage or mechanical disadvantage depending on the relative lengths of the effort arm and the resistance arm.
Increasing the effort arm or decreasing the resistance arm increases mechanical advantage.
Flexion is a movement that decreases the angle at a joint.
Extension is a movement that increases the angle at a joint.
At the shoulder joint, flexion moves the arm forwards and extension moves the arm backwards.
Abduction is movement away from the midline of the body.
Adduction is movement towards the midline of the body.
Rotation is the turning of a bone around its long axis.
Circumduction is a circular movement that combines flexion, extension, abduction and adduction.
Plantar flexion is ankle movement that points the toes away from the shin.
Dorsiflexion is ankle movement that brings the toes up towards the shin.
In the upward phase of a push-up, the elbow extends to push the body away from the floor.
In the lowering phase of a push-up, the elbow flexes as the body moves towards the floor.
In a football throw-in, the shoulders extend as the arms move behind the head in preparation for release.
In a football throw-in, the shoulders flex and the elbows extend as the ball is thrown forwards.
During the drive phase of running, the hip extends, the knee extends and the ankle plantar flexes to propel the body forwards.
During the recovery phase of running, the hip flexes, the knee flexes and the ankle dorsiflexes to bring the leg forwards.
In kicking a ball, the hip flexes and the knee extends as the foot swings forwards to strike the ball.
In a standing vertical jump, the hip and knee extend and the ankle plantar flexes during take-off.
During the lowering phase of a squat, the hip and knee flex and the ankle dorsiflexes.
During the rising phase of a squat, the hip and knee extend and the ankle plantar flexes.
In cricket bowling, the shoulder abducts as the bowling arm moves away from the body during the action.
In cricket bowling, the shoulder adducts as the bowling arm moves back towards the body's midline after release.
In cricket bowling, the shoulder rotates to help position the arm for release.
In cricket bowling, the bowling arm performs circumduction because it moves in a circular path around the shoulder joint.
Analysing movement in sport uses planes to describe the direction of movement and axes to describe the line around which rotation occurs.
A plane is an imaginary flat surface through the body used to describe the direction of movement.
An axis is an imaginary straight line through the body around which the body or a body part rotates.
Movement takes place in a plane and rotates around an axis that is perpendicular to that plane.
The three main planes used to describe human movement are the sagittal plane, the frontal plane and the transverse plane.
The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right halves.
Movement in the sagittal plane is mainly forwards and backwards.
Flexion and extension usually occur in the sagittal plane.
The transverse axis is a horizontal line running from side to side through the body.
Movement in the sagittal plane occurs around the transverse axis.
Running action is mainly sagittal plane movement around the transverse axis.
A forward roll and a front somersault are sagittal plane movements around the transverse axis.
The frontal plane divides the body into front and back sections.
Movement in the frontal plane is mainly side to side.
Abduction and adduction usually occur in the frontal plane.
The sagittal axis is a horizontal line running from front to back through the body.
Movement in the frontal plane occurs around the sagittal axis.
A cartwheel is a frontal plane movement around the sagittal axis.
The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower sections.
Movement in the transverse plane is mainly rotational.
The longitudinal axis is a vertical line running from head to foot through the body.
Movement in the transverse plane occurs around the longitudinal axis.
A 360-degree twist, an ice skating spin and a discus thrower rotating in the circle are transverse plane movements around the longitudinal axis.
Sporting actions can involve movement in more than one plane, but exam questions usually classify an action by its main movement pattern.

rocket_launchYou must be able to

Identify the fulcrum, effort and load in a sporting movement that uses a body lever.
Classify a sporting action as a first, second or third class lever from the relative positions of the fulcrum, effort and load.
Draw a linear first class lever and label the fulcrum, effort, load, effort arm and resistance arm.
Draw a linear second class lever and label the fulcrum, effort, load, effort arm and resistance arm.
Draw a linear third class lever and label the fulcrum, effort, load, effort arm and resistance arm.
Explain why elbow extension in a football throw-in or the upward phase of a push-up is a first class lever.
Explain why plantar flexion during take-off in jumping or sprinting is a second class lever.
Explain why elbow flexion or knee extension is a third class lever.
Calculate mechanical advantage by dividing the effort arm by the resistance arm.
Interpret a mechanical advantage value greater than 1 as an advantage and a value less than 1 as a disadvantage.
Compare the mechanical advantage usually provided by second and third class levers in sporting actions.
Analyse how changing the length of the effort arm or resistance arm affects mechanical advantage.
Identify flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, circumduction, plantar flexion and dorsiflexion in named sporting actions.
Describe the joint movements at the shoulder and elbow during the preparation and release phases of a football throw-in.
Describe the joint movements at the hip, knee and ankle during the drive and recovery phases of running.
Describe the joint movements at the hip, knee and ankle during a kick, a vertical jump or a squat.
Analyse shoulder movement during cricket bowling using abduction, adduction, rotation and circumduction.
Identify the main plane of movement and the perpendicular axis for a named sporting action.
Classify running, a forward roll and a front somersault as sagittal plane movements around the transverse axis.
Classify a cartwheel as a frontal plane movement around the sagittal axis and a twist, spin or discus rotation as a transverse plane movement around the longitudinal axis.

Curriculum Portal