AASS1074 Basic Biomechanics

Tutorial 4
Student name: Lim Yong Shen
Student ID ： 2208712
 1. Discuss with example THREE (3) factors
that will affect human joint stability
• Shape of articular surfaces
• Strength and tension of capsule and ligaments
• Arrangement and tension of muscles and ligaments
 Shape of articular surface
• Articulating components fit together firmly since their shapes are completely
different. Most frequently structured as a pair of convex and concave surfaces.
• The articulating surfaces of most joints are reciprocally formed, but they are not
symmetrical, and there is normally just one position where contact is highest,
known as the closed packed position, where joint stability is typically greatest.
• For example, in the shoulder joint, the humeral head of the upper arm is
disproportionately larger than the glenoid fossa of the scapula that it sits in,
making the joint more unstable, as there is less contact between the bones.
Strength and tension of capsule and ligaments

• The stiffening of the capsules and ligaments has direct and indirect effects
on the extent and quality of movement.
• This stiffening limits joint motion directly, which lowers the caliber of
afferent information coming from the joint receptors.
Arrangement and tension of muscles and ligaments

• Joint stability is influenced by tendons, muscles, and ligaments. Joint stability

is frequently increased by stronger ligaments.
• By holding the ends of the articular bones together, tension in ligaments and
muscles adds to stability.
• Due to ligaments and muscles are less able to contribute to joint stability when
muscles are fatigued, injuries are more likely to happen.
• For example, rotator cuff muscles, which keep the head of the humerus in the
shallow glenoid cavity of the scapula. If there is a loss of tone, such as in old
age or stroke, the shoulder can dislocate.
 2. Discuss with example THREE (3) factors
that will affect human joint flexibility
• Shape of the articulating bone surface and interventing
muscle or fatty tissue
• Function of the laxity of the collagenous tissues
• Temperature elevation
 Shape of the articulating bone surface and interventing muscle or
fatty tissue

• Excessive muscle or adipose tissue mass restricts the range of motion of

joints.
• The sport and position should be taken into account when designing an
athlete's strength and conditioning programme when building muscle bulk
or taking an athlete's mass into consideration.
• For instance, an athlete can find it challenging to extend their triceps if
they have large biceps and deltoids.
Function of the laxity of the collagenous tissues

• Collagen is found throughout the body. For example, in skin and

ligaments.
• If collagen is weaker than it should be, tissues in the body will be fragile,
which can make ligaments and joints loose and stretchy. As a result, the
joints can extend further than usual.
• For example, some people can bend their thumbs backwards to their
wrists, bend their knee joints backwards, put their leg behind the head and
so on.
 Temperature elevation

• Although it has not been proven in human studies, temperature can

slightly improve the extensibility of collagenous tissues.
• Especially for individuals who experience arthritis, cooler
temperatures may increase the thickness of synovial fluid, causing joints
to become stiffer and have less mobility.