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Biomechanics applies mechanics to living organisms, from molecular to whole organism level. It studies movement, mechanical systems, injuries, prosthetics, ergonomics, and organism variations. It is important for injury patterns, physical therapy, and ergonomic recommendations.
Biomechanics is a scientific discipline that applies the principles studied in mechanics to the understanding of living organisms. This discipline incorporates researchers from fields such as biophysics, bioengineering, biology and medicine and covers organisms from plants to whales. A number of colleges and universities have biomechanics programs that offer student education along with numerous research possibilities in this very broad field.
The study of biomechanics can occur on a range of scales and levels, from the molecular level of cell signaling to the study of whole organisms. Understanding how organisms move is an important aspect of this field, as is understanding the body’s mechanical systems such as the circulatory system and digestive tract. While people may not think of living organisms as machines, in many ways, they actually behave a lot like machines, and the concepts used in basic mechanics can also be applied to the body.
A field of interest of biomechanics is the study of lesions. Sports injuries in particular are of interest to some researchers, with people interested in learning how athletes at the peak of their performance move and get injured, as well as studying injuries in people who aren’t as athletic. Biomechanics researchers also examine topics such as how the loss of a limb can change movement patterns, how prosthetic devices can be better designed to move with the body, and how bodies respond to stresses and strains ranging from depletion of bone mass in space at work as manual workers.
On a clinical level, biomechanics is very important in understanding injury patterns and in developing physical therapy programs that will increase strength. Biomechanics is also the science behind many ergonomic recommendations for everyone from massage therapists to office workers. Understanding how activities like using a computer, sitting in an uncomfortable chair, or lifting heavy objects put strain on the body is an important first step in finding ways to help people reduce strain. Biomechanics is also used to show people how to use their body more efficiently, as is the case with a massage therapist using elbow pressure instead of just their hands.
Researchers are also interested in how different types of organisms move and function, and how these variations confer benefits. For example, fish and marine mammals swim in a variety of different ways, while plants have evolved a variety of creative ways to access nutrients and resources such as sunlight.
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