Physics of Sport Biomechanics - Research Proposal Example

Introduction: Sport Biomechanics can be perceived as the study and analysis of human movement pattern in sport (Bartlett, 2007). To be more precise, it focuses on the synthesis between the study of biology (bio) and the integration of physics and mathematics (mechanics). Hence, there exists a necessity to have a clear understanding of the application of physics to sports, as physical principles of physics such as motion, resistance, momentum and friction play a significant role in most sporting events. Curriculum can be seen as "the course of schooling" (Kirk et al. 1996). On the other hand, the Oxford Dictionary (2005) defines curriculum as the "subjects included in a course of study.” This purports the idea that every discipline needs a defined means of in depth study and, therefore, physical education curriculum is essential as a right approach to sports program. A methodical, scientific study approach will help in removing the anomalies like injuries and other mishaps. The right education leads to establishing good health and the right sport programs for students will be instrumental for future generations as the core for improved health and fitness. Mechanics is a branch of physics that relates to the description of motion and how forces create motion, as well as other physical laws, which are essential for movements. Within mechanics are two sub-fields of studies: statics, which is the study of systems that are in a state of constant motion either at rest or at motion; and dynamics, which is the study of systems in motion in which acceleration is present, which may involve kinematics. In addition, correlation between physics and sport biomechanics is a concept of work through mechanical energy for the creation of a motion. Physics, through physical education, takes part in the educational system as a planned, sequential K-12 curriculum that provides cognitive content and learning experiences in a variety of activity areas. These include basic movement skills; physical fitness; rhythm and dance; games; team, dual, and individual sports; tumbling and gymnastics. Besides a variety of planned physical activities, each student needs to be trained with optimum physical, mental, emotional, and social development and should promote activities and sports that all students not only enjoy but can also pursue throughout their lives (Stilwell, 2005). Biomechanics takes part in kinesiology for a precise description and a qualitative analysis of human movement, as well as the study of the cases of human movement, which is relevant in professional practice for many kinesiology professionals, physical educators teaching movement techniques to students and the athletic trainer or physical therapist treating an injury (Starkey 2005). Movement is a basic ingredient for biomechanics and in evolving a curriculum; a key concept in physics of motion has been approached through qualitative, quantitative and semi-quantitative analyses. Objective: Sports biomechanics has often been described as encompassing two objectives that may not be necessarily compatible to each other: the reduction of injury and the improvement of performance (Bartlett, 1999). The main objective of the study, in relating physics to sports, derives from the intention of educating students with the mechanics of correct physical movements as described in the disciplines of physics as well as biomechanics. Due to the lack of knowledge regarding correct physical movements, students become prone to injuries. Besides, improper movements hamper the true potential of aspiring student athletes. Sport biomechanics is a complex system in which the fundamental concepts of musculoskeletal biomechanics are applied to sports skills (Cannel, 2004). It integrates the methods of physics into the study of human motion as well as the motion of sport objects. In addition, it also considers the effects of force on the body and sport objects, through mechanical analysis of activities, as well as effectiveness and efficiency of movements. Moreover, it focuses on essential components like the causes of movement as forces and torques and the anatomy of human movement. Sport biomechanics helps student athletes perform effectively in their chosen sporting activity better by improving his or her performance and by helping to reduce the risk of injury. From pedagogical perspective, physics and biomechanics can contribute in enhancing the knowledge of physical educators, coaches as well as teachers and enable them to devise strategies to reduce the student athletes’ risk of injuries and thereby help them in improving their performance. Pedagogy is an important aspect in the education of human movement and it seeks to improve the latter through suitable physical education processes and instructions for learning physical activities (Kirk et al., 2002). Aim: The main approach has been established by expanding the prerequisite knowledge in basic biomechanics and physics, and applying it, through investigation, on fundamental mechanics of sports movements. On the other hand, the main aim has been successfully achieved through two things: the reduction of injury, which involves stages that begin with description of the incidence and type of sport injury; and the improvement of performance, which identifies the factors and mechanisms that affect the occurrence of sport injury (Starkey, 2005). There is an imperative need to promote quality physical education among students and by physical educators must try to encourage their development. Through quality, the physical educator should promote physical education among students and teach them to integrate the theories into their lives to facilitate objective development. Thus the main goal of a physical education curriculum is to improve mental health as well as to achieve better physical conditions. This will lead to improved health for student athletes besides reducing the risks of physical injuries in them. A successful movement needs knowledge, primarily of the activity or the mechanics involved from which the athlete will develop the critical features of performance. Secondly, knowledge of the performers becomes a crucial factor. This includes the requirements of the performers, coaches or therapists, whose needs and abilities should be identified for prevention of injuries. Qualified individuals, stricter enforcement of safety rules and proper use of safety equipment prevent many injuries besides facilitating better conditioning of athletes, evolving coaching techniques, and enabling proper supervision. Athletes must learn to condition the functionality of their body and achieve balance, flexibility, stability, acceleration and deceleration in balance in exercise. Inappropriate movements that are not corrected with timely intervention will lead to injury (Starkey, 2005). Relevant knowledge of the performers will include their age, sex and standard of performance; physical abilities, such as fitness, strength and flexibility; injury status and history; and cognitive development, which relates to the feedback to be provided in the intervention stage. Another significant aspect is the knowledge about the particular activity as related to a specific performer, which may require an understanding of the motor development and motor learning, as right movement leads to successful performance. When an athlete becomes capable of achieving the correct balance, he or she will be able to emulate the correct physical movements, understand the correlation between injury and movement execution and determine the maximum performance level. Thus he or she can coordinate the activities appropriately. It is also necessary for athletes to understand that uncorrected movements will lead to lower performance and, in certain cases, culminate into crippling injuries. Purpose of Study: Physical education aims to assist students to imbibe in them health-enhancing behaviours to reduce or eliminate health problems that impede learning and productivity. Over the last decade or so, the real world of sport and exercise outside of school has remained marked with an increasing demand from coaches, athletes and other practitioners for good qualitative movement analyses as an approach for basic sports biomechanics (Cannel, 2004). If one observes jumping that involves a run-up, such as the long or high jump, or others that have a more complex structure, such as the triple jump, he or she will benefit from the right coordination of the arm action with those of the legs. Therefore, it is essential for students and athletes to perform correct human movements in sports to enhance their performance. Thus, the arm actions in the jump, if properly coordinated with those of the legs, will help in improving performance. In all likelihood, students in Brunei have little or no knowledge about the correct human mechanics in sports. The mechanics in the triple jump as an example has mostly been executed incorrectly in this country, and thereby some students have sustained injuries. Education is an important factor in reducing the risk of injury and, therefore, a quality curriculum should be designed to allow students exposure to repetitive physical activities. This is exactly where the role of biomechanics comes into play. Follow up Research: According to theoretical biomechanics studies, muscular development and physical activities play an important role as major determinants in changes in physical characteristics and total body mass during growth. It has been observed that physical activity of boys as included in compulsory physical education sessions (80–90 minutes a week), three hours a week of extracurricular sports participation, and occasional sports competitions on the weekends and control group were limited to the compulsory physical education curriculum (Mikkelsson et al. 2006). The main conclusion is that greater level of physical activity is correlated with grater bone mass and density in observed children, whereas the increment in fat mass did not show any relation to bone mass development (Vicente-Rodriguez et al., 2005). Further studies are necessary to determine which kinds of sport are best suited to facilitate gains in both bone mass and muscle mass in boys. The available data suggests that a positive effect can be obtained in children who participate in at least three hours of extramural sports activities a week. This will allow future optimization of exercise programmers as well as in designing a novel physical activity that is effective in students. According to another experimental biomechanics study, known as the ground reaction forces, associated with an effective elementary school based jumping, achieved biomechanical variables in commonly performed childhood activities used in an elementary physical education intervention study, which augmented bone health in boys and girls (McKay, et al, 2005). Mechanical loading during childhood plays a critical role in the normal growth and development of the skeleton. Therefore, ground reaction forces (GRFs) may provide a measure for the strain experienced by bone on landing and at take off. The conclusion emerges that simple jumps requiring minimal equipment produce GRFs of 3.5–5 times BW and rates of force of around 500 times BW/s (McKay, et al 2005). As children appear to attenuate higher impact forces when jumping from increased heights, it cannot be assumed that merely increasing the height of the jump will necessarily progress the exercise intervention. This project quantifies GRFs experienced by children while performing different types of jump during a loading intervention program, introduced as a part of elementary school physical education. It provides a physical education curriculum that maintains the child’s interest but it does not allow us to identify the relative contribution of the individual jumps to this result (McKay, et al 2005). In addition, another study showed that overall good flexibility in boys and good endurance strength in girls may contribute to a decreased risk of tension neck. However, high endurance strength in boys may indicate an increased risk of knee injury. In this study high adolescent flexibility predicted low occurrence of tension neck in men. In women, high endurance strength predicted low occurrence of tension neck, whereas in men it was a predictor of knee injury. Participation in physical activity during leisure in adolescence predicted low occurrence of recurrent low back pain in the case of men. Of the adulthood factors, physical activity 1–4 times a week may lower the risk of low back pain in women. Therefore, the higher the BMI, the greater the risk of tension neck and low back pain in both sexes, but knee injury in women are more presentencing (Mikkelsson et al, 2006). Area of Study: Biomechanical analysis has two approaches to study the mechanical aspect of human movement. First is the quantitative approach that involves the use of numbers and helps to eliminate subjective description and relies on data from the use of different instruments. This is more scientific, publishable, and predictable analysis than the other approach. The second one, qualitative approach, on the other hand, does not describe movement with numbers and is used in coaching and during the teaching of sports skills (Guyton, 2005). Both quantitative and qualitative analysis will be a major part in the area of study for physical activities in sport education. Hence a quality programme provides the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of sports biomechanics with all aspects being covered, ranging from experimental equipment requirements and utilisation, besides the latest theoretical considerations and research problems, theoretical modelling and computer simulation of human movement and critical analysis. The study displays a fundamental grasp of mechanics and an interest in applying this knowledge to the sports research arena as well as its implementation in the physical education curriculum. Read More