The Elements of Biomechanics

The president, CEO, and owner of Macon Occupational Medicine in Macon, Georgia, Leonard Bevill possesses decades of experience in the field of occupational medicine. A graduate of Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Leonard Bevill holds both a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy and a master’s degree in exercise science, with an emphasis on ergonomics and biomechanics.

Biomechanics, described by the American Society of Biomechanics, is the general interplay between mechanics and biological systems. Biomechanics encompasses the movement of bodily structures, such as muscles and bones, as well as the movement of bodily substances, such as circulating blood. The study of biomechanics is particularly valuable in the field of sports and exercise science because biomechanics allows professionals to apply the laws of physics and mechanics in their efforts to enhance athletic performance. 

The four essential elements of biomechanical studies are statics, dynamics, kinematics, and kinetics. Statics refers to systems that are either motionless or in equilibrium at a steady velocity, while dynamics refers to systems that experience changes in speed. Kinematics is the effect of various exerted forces on a system, and kinetics describes the causes of motion.