Do you work in sport, exercise or health and want to learn the basic principles of biomechanics?

'Biomechanics' is the application of the laws of physics (or 'mechanics') to motion in living tissues. In the fields of sport and exercise, it can be applied to human movement and is often used by professional coaches, therapists, medics and athletes to help evaluate performance and monitor progress. The information gathered can then be used to inform the design of exercise, performance and therapeutic interventions.

If you would like to understand the basic scientific principles that underpin biomechanics, but don't have any prior learning of the subject (and maybe are averse to maths and physics!) then this is the course for you. The course is comprised of four 60-minute weekly workshops and will include four short optional homework tasks. The workshops will include problem-solving tasks in small groups. All the learning materials are designed with a scenario-based learning approach. This means that practical examples of how the theory and language of biomechanics can be applied in real life will be used throughout. There will also be opportunities to start to apply some maths, but the central focus of this course will be mainly on language and theory.

This course will cover definitions and theories relating to the following topics:

• 'Qualitative' vs 'Quantitative' biomechanics
• 'Internal' vs 'External' forces
• 'Kinetics' vs 'Kinematics'
• 'Static' vs 'Dynamic' biomechanics
• Units of Measurement
• Planes of Motion
• Axes of Rotation
• 'Linear' vs 'Angular' vs 'General' motion
• Newton's Laws of Mechanics
• Spatial Reference Systems

By the end of this course you should be able to:

• Define the term 'biomechanics'
• Describe the different strands (types) of biomechanics
• Demonstrate an understanding of basic scientific language and theories used in biomechanics
• Think critically about the practical strengths and limitations of biomechanical assessments and interventions
• Make meaningful interpretations of biomechanical information (i.e.: applying information published in journal articles)

This online workshop is suited to anyone with an interest in improving human movement - but in particular, may be useful for those working in the field of exercise or performance. Whether you are completely new to the concept of biomechanics or looking to refresh your knowledge from undergraduate level study, this workshop will help you to better understand some of the fundamental principles of biomechanics as well as its application.

MOVE WELL LEARNING GRANT

Apply: Can't afford the full fee for this course? Don't fret! You can apply for full- or part-funding from the Move Well Learning Grant to attend. One fully-funded place will be available for each course. The deadline for applications is midnight one calendar month before the first date of the course (i.e.: if the first date of the course is 1st October 2023, then the deadline is midnight of the 1st September 2023). Simply fill in the online form - CLICK HERE to apply.

Support: For many, it is not possible to access university-level education - often time, money and resources can be a huge barrier to education. Move Well operates a 'Pay what you can' approach to reduce financial barriers to accessing workshops, and also offers one fully-funded place on each short course intake. The Move Well Learning Grant is made possible by donations from attendees who are in a fortunate position to be able to cover the costs of their fees, and who have some change to spare. If you would like to make a contribution towards the course fees of another participant who applies for the grant you can find the donation option at the payment checkout.

ABOUT MOVE WELL LEARNING

Move Well Learning offers a range of online workshops and courses for therapy and exercise professionals. You can find out more about these resources, as well as the Move Well Clinic and Fiona Higgs Ph.D.(Managing Director) at the Move Well Clinic website CLICK HERE.