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Qualitative Biomechanics
Kathleen MacLean March 18, 2014

Movement Assessments
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Work of the Biomechanist

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Assess movement In a variety of settings

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Depending on the setting, form of assessment may change

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Quantitative Qualitative

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Quantitative vs. Qualitative

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Quantitative
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Objective properties Information based on quantities of data Measured

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Qualitative
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Subjective properties Information based on a characteristic or qualities Observed

Quantitative Movement Assessment

The tools

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Qualitative Movement Assessment

Systematic observation and introspective judgment of the quality of human movement for the purpose of providing the most appropriate intervention to improve performance

*Using biomechanical principles and knowledge

Qualitative Biomechanics
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Used to analyze:
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Why we move the way we do Improve performance Reduce injury rates Clinical diagnosis Skill analysis Error detection

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Movement Assessments
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Quantitative does not equal validity or reliability

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Qualitative does not equal invalid or unreliable

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Different forms of qualitative analysis

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Choice depends on the movement and purpose of analysis, experience of evaluator, setting, age and ability of performer

Where do Assessments Occur

Schools Physical Education Clinics Rehabilitation or training Sports
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Performance or injury assessment Occupational Settings Productivity, injury and fatigue rates Lab During quantitative assessments

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Qualitative Assessment in Phys Ed

Qualitative Assessment in Sports

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Coaching Athletic therapists

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Qualitative Assessment in Clinics

Qualitative Assessment in Ergonomics

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Qualitative Assessment
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Might seem subjective

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But organized, specific Requires planning, interdisciplinary information, and systematic steps

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Interdisciplinary
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Integrate many perspectives

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Done correctly, provides important information about movement

Qualitative Biomechanical Assessment

So how do we go about performing a systemic qualitative movement assessment?
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Outline and follow steps to analysis Grounded in biomechanical knowledge and terminology
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Background research

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Steps of a Qualitative Analysis

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Step 1: Preparation
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Determine areas of observation to assess in individual and environment

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Step 2: Observe
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Several systematic performances of the movement

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Step 3: Evaluation
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Diagnosis performance strengths and weaknesses, limitations to performance

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Step 4: Intervention (if necessary)

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Feedback, demonstrations, mimicry etc.

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Step 1: Preparation
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Needed for appropriate evaluation

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Includes What is the objective of the task What biomechanical principles are at play?

Objective of the Task

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Need to consider the desired outcome (Norman, 1975)

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Minimization of fatigue over an endurance or repetitive task Maximize speed, height, distance Force Precision Speed Balance or stability Combination?

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Applying Biomechanical Principles

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What principles affect objective? (Norman, 1975) Depending on the task, certain principles may be more important to the assessment:
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Direction of force application Stability Conservation and transfer of momentum Minimizing joint load Summation of joint moment effects Summation of body segment velocities Optimal joint position Minimizing fatigue

Step 2: Observe
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Usually break the task down into stages or phases

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Objective of each phase Primary body segment(s) involved in each phase Biomechanical principles of each phase

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Phases
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Most movements involve three basic phases

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Preparation Execution Follow-through

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These can be further broken down and specified for each task or skill What body segments are involved?

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Critical Features of a Skill

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Invariant technique points of a movement Determines what is right and wrong about movement
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Associated with each phase of movement

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What cues are necessary for optimal performance

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What are the critical elements?

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Composite Approach
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Total Body Approach Whole body as a system

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Stages of skill are based on combined product of all body parts Descriptions for each stage

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Evaluates quality of movement

Component Approach
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Each primary body component still observed

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Each component has its own evaluative phases More detail provided

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Error Analysis Strategy

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Steps 3 & 4: Evaluate and Intervene

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Compare expected movement (prep) with observed movement

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Are task objectives met? Are biomechanical principles being violated or not exploited?

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Provide biomechanical feedback to improve performance

Quantitative Assessment

Qualitative Assessment

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History Lesson
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Department of Kinesiology
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Previously Department of Physical Education

Complementary
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Not competitive What can each tell us that the other cannot
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When is one not feasible, appropriate or ethical?

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Qualitative Advantages
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Quicker, easier Qualitative tools are unavailable or unfeasible Qualitative often gives us an initial exploration of a movement task or issue When we need more than just numbers

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Quantitative Advantages
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Provide numeric proof of applied biomechanical principles Determine cutoffs for injury and disease prevention Measure changes in performance of a skill or task Determine biomechanics associated with optimization of performance

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Tag team
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Both processes often used for ultimate movement goal Interplay between both forms of movement assessment
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Done when analyzing all kinds of tasks and questions

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Consider rehabilitation from an injury

Evolution
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How did we become the way we are

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What adaptations occurred? How have adaptations affected movement performance

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What differentiates us from our closest relatives?

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And ancestors

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Evolutionary Questions
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Gaps in our understanding Few living ancestors we can observe Need to fill them using qualitative and quantitative analyses What can both assessments tell us about our evolutionary

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How has the shoulder evolved?

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Why wont my dog hug me back?

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Throwing
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Uncommon in other animals

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Uniquely hominin trait Courtesy of our bipedalism

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What was the advantage of the shoulder evolution How do we compare to our closest living relatives?
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And our ancestors?

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Are we different?

The Many Throws

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Throwing to Hunt
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Overarm

Chimp Throw
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Chimpanzees are decent throwers

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Human Throw
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But theyve got nothing on humans

Humans vs. Chimps

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Appears as though there is difference in throwing between humans and chimps

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How are they different

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We can put a pitcher into a lab to make an analysis

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But not a chimpanzee

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Qualitative Biomechanical Analysis

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To perform a qualitative analysis, we need prep

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Determine objectives Determine core biomechanical principles Break throw down into phases

Objective & Principles of Throwing

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Objective:
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Produce as much hand speed as possible Accuracy

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Summation of body segment velocities

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Proximal to distal
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Maximizes end segments velocity

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Whip Effect

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Principle of transfer of momentum

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Generates angular motion

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Phases of Throwing

Windup

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Acceleration

Follow-Through

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Windup

Acceleration

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Follow-Through

Observed Differences
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We see the differences in movement

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Result in a difference in throwing abilities Speed Distance

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But Why?
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Consider:
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Bone and muscle Morphology

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Variability in human performance Need quantitative analyses

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Morphological Assessment
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How do our bones differ?

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Physical characteristics Boney formation

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And how will this limit movement capabilities

Baseball Players
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Quantitatively test the effect of derived morphological traits in humans (Roach et al., 2013)
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Study elite throwers Effect of morphological traits Effect of induce limitations on the shoulder

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Glenoid Orientation

Effect of Glenoid Orientation

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Humeral Torsion

Humeral Torsion
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Affects Range of Motion

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Humeral Torsion

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The Missing Link

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What about all our ancestors in between?

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How did they move? What was the sequence of adaptation?

Qualitative-Quantitative Tradeoff
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We cant observe our extinct ancestors move But we can make inferences based on:
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What we know about what came before and after !! Us Homo Sapiens
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Living relatives Chimpanzees Fill in the gap Bone Morphology Boney orientation

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Fossils
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Determine potential physical capabilities

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Quantitative Assessment
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Quantitative analyses of human throwing can help us understand the fossil record
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Morphological features that help human throwing can be assessed in the fossil record

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When did we start throwing projectiles?

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Archeological evidence is divisive

Informed by Sports Medicine

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Humeral torsion asymmetry in elite throwing athletes (Chant et

al., 2007; Reagan et al., 2002; Roach et al., 2013)

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Torsion Asymmetry
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Dominant vs. Non-dominant Arm

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Paleolithic vs. Neanderthal

Back to Qualitative Analyses

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Using quantitative data, we can qualitatively reconstruct an understanding of how our fossilized ancestors moved
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We know how quantified morphological features affect performance We know the morphology of fossils

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Were our ancestors as great as throwing as us?

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The Shoulder Advantage

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Combined quantitative and qualitative assessment can tell us when and how humans survived Hominin disadvantages:
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Not particularly fast, strong Lack the teeth and claws to injure prey or protect ourselves from
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Need to avoid confrontation with prey

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The Shoulder Advantage

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Hominin Advantage:
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Throwing capabilities Endurance running capabilities Provided through shoulder morphology !! Swinging arm

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Throwing provided a means to obtain high protein food

In The End
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Systematic qualitative biomechanical analyses provide important movement information Trade off between qualitative and quantitative analyses for common goal
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Understanding human movement

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