WEEKLY LEARNING ACTIVITY IN GRADE 10 - SPS

MELC: Understands how biomechanics is used to improve technique.

QUARTER: 1
WEEK COVERED: 1
OBJECTIVES: This learning activity module will help learners to understands how biomechanics is
used to improve technique.

LINK: https://www.patcash.co.uk/2011/09/biomechanics-what-it-is-and-why-it-is-important-for-tennis/

What is biomechanics?

In short biomechanics is the study and science of how the system and structure of biological
organisms react to external forces and stimuli. It’s a broad field that includes many subfields
including musculoskeletal biomechanics, kinesiology and sports biomechanics to name a few.

When it comes to you and me, biomechanics normally refers to how the muscular and skeletal
systems in humans function under various conditions. A biomechanic will apply engineering principles,
physics and other types of mathematically based forms of analysis to learn the capabilities and limits of
the human body.

How can biomechanics be used in sports?

Sports biomechanics is a subfield within biomechanics and is its own branch of human and
biological science. Essentially sport and exercise biomechanics is focused on analyzing the physiological
mechanics of human movement. This includes analysis of how forces interact and the effects these
forces have on and within the body. In other words biomechanics in sports examines and explains why
and how the human body moves like it does. In a sport like tennis this also includes the interplay
between an athlete, their environment and the equipment.

Generally the primary goals of sports biomechanics are:

 Improve athletic performance by identifying and applying optimal technique.

 Prevent injury and speed up recovery.


The benefi ts of biomechanics.

Basically, understanding biomechanics and applying it is the foundation for good technique in all sports.
So by studying how the human body naturally wants to move we can remove stress and pressure on the
bones, joints, muscles and ligaments. This results in improved athletic performance, reduced injuries
and heightened general wellbeing. Athletes of all ages and skill levels can benefit from biomechanical
analysis whether it’s for pain reduction or to increase top level performance. Here are some more
benefits of proper biomechanics:

 Increased movement speed (running, swimming, etc.)

 More power (jumping, hitting, lifting, etc.)
 Energy conservation through economy of movement.
 Helps eliminate muscle imbalances.
 Reduces wear and tear on joints and ligaments.
 Improved sport specific form and technique.

In a nutshell, with good biomechanics you can get faster and stronger while reducing injuries.
Why don’t all tennis coaches teach sports biomechanics?
The odds are that most coaches and organizations, especially within the tennis community, don’t even
know what biomechanics is. Or if they do, they don’t truly understand it and don’t want you to know
about it. Because if you did understand biomechanics and its benefits you’d demand they coach you
with this in mind. This would require your coach to admit that much of what he/she teaches is wrong.
This in turn would force him/her to go back to the drawing board and relearn everything. Generally
speaking this is way too much effort for the average coach. It’s a shame because a stronger focus on
biomechanics and good technique would save people from a lot of pain while helping them improve
their game.

ACTIVITY 1: WORD PUZZLE:

Directions: Find the following words inside the box and encircle.

ACTIVITY 2: TRUE OR FALSE

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Within the fields of kinesiology and exercise science, the living organism most commonly of
interest to the biomechanist is the human body.
a. True b. False
2. The kinetics of an exercise or sport skill execution is commonly known as form or
technique.
a. True b. False
3. Force can be thought of as a psh or a pull acting on a body.
a. True b. False
4. More than half of all sport injuries are to the knee.
a. True b. False
5. Promising work in the development of intervention strategies has shown that the key to
preventing falls may be the ability to limit trunk motion.
a. True b. False
ACTIVITY 3: MULTIPLE CHOICE

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Science of study of human motion it brings together the fields of anatomy physiology,
biomechanics, physics & geometry relating them to human nature
a. Kinematics c. Kinesiology
b. Kinetics d. Statics

2. The branch of physics dealing with the study of forces and the motion produced by their
actions.
a. Mechanics c. Statics
b. Biomechanics d. Kinetics

3. Involves taking principles & methods of mechanics & applying them to the structure &
function of the human body
a. Kinesiology c. Kinetics
b. Biomechanics d. Mechanics

4. Deals with factors associated with nonmoving or nearly nonmoving systems.

a. Mechanics c. Osteokinematics
b. Statics d. Kinetics

5. Factors associated with moving systems & can be divided into kinetics and kinematics
a. Dynamics c. Statics
b. Mechanics d. Kinetics

6. Deals with forces causing movement in a system

a. Kinematics c. Dynamics
b. Biomechanics d. Kinetics

7. Involves the time, space and mass aspects of a moving system

a. Kinetics c. Kinematics
b. Biomechanics d. Mechanics

8. Focuses on the manner in which bones move in space without regard to the movement of
joint surfaces such as shoulder flexion/extension.
a. Osteokinematics c. Kinetics
b. Arthrokinematics d. Biomechanics

9. Deals with the manner in which adjoining joint surfaces move in relation to each other that
is the same of opposite direction
a. Arthrokinematics c. Dynamics
b. Osterokinematics d. Mechanics

10. Which of the following is the most appropriate definition of biomechanics?

a. The study of human movement
b. The study of biological organisms
c. The study of movement mechanics
d. The study of the mechanical aspects of biological organisms

11. Which of following terms is applied to the study of system in a constant state of motion?
a. Statics c. Anthropometrics
b. Dynamics d. Plyometrics
12. What term is given to considerations such as the size, shape and weight of the body
segments?
a. Cybemetic c. Kinematic
b. Anthropometic d. Kinetic

13. Which of the following would not be a measured in a kinematic analysis of a tennis serve?
a. Angular velocity c. Muscular force
b. Linear velocity d. Angular acceleration

14. Which of the following is an example of a kinetic consideration?

a. Muscle force producing a vertical jump c. Both A and B
b. Impact force landing from a jump d. Neither A nor B

15. Which of the following is an example of a static situation?

a. A cyclist riding at a constant velocity c. Both A and B
b. A person balancing motionless on one foot d. Neither A nor B