Course

Biomechanics

Faculty
Science & Technology
Department
Sport Science
Course Code
SPSC 1151
Credits
3.00
Semester Length
15 weeks
Max Class Size
30
Method(s) Of Instruction
Hybrid
Lecture
Lab
Course Designation
None
Industry Designation
None
Typically Offered
To be determined

Overview

Course Description
This course applies elementary principles of mechanics and math to analyze human movement. Students explore the development of forces within muscles and their effect on initiating and controlling human movement. These concepts are applied to understand the causes of injuries.
Course Content
  • Anatomical concepts
    • Movements in the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes
    • Movements occuring about the medio-lateral, antero-posterior and longitudinal axes
    • Muscle, bones and joints terminology
    • Degrees of freedom at a joint
    • Phases of movement
  • Kinematics
    • Displacement, velocity, acceleration and time
    • Kinematic equations in 2-dimensions
    • Projectile motion
    • Graphical interpreation of motion in 2-dimensions
    • Data interpretation using peer-reviewed research
    • Tools used to collect data
  • Kinetics
    • Mass, force, friction, acceleration, moment of inertia, work, power, energy, momentum and impulse
    • Kinetic equations for linear and angular movements
    • Free-body diagrams
    • Development of acute and chronic injuries
    • Graphical interpretation of kinetic variables
    • Data interpretation using peer-reviewed research
    • Tools used to collect data
  • Internal force generation
    • The elements of the human musculo-skeletal system 
    • How muscles generate forces and their effect on the structures surrounding them
    • Concepts of force-length, force-velocity, hysteresis, compression, tension, shear, strain and Young’s Modulus to explain musculo-skeletal adaptation



Learning Activities
  • lecture
  • group work
  • online components
  • labs
  • problem-based learning
Means of Assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

 

Research and Practical assignments 15-25%
Laboratory reports 15-30%
Midterm examination(s) 15-25%
Final examination 25-30%
Total 100%

 

 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 

  • apply knowledge of human anatomy to describe human movement;
  • describe the elementary mechanical principles that are applicable to analyzing human movement;
  • derive and apply kinematics equations to analyze human motion in two dimensions;
  • describe the movement of a projectile and discuss the factors that influence a projectile's trajectory;
  • draw a free-body diagram and apply it to solve problems related to human movementt;
  • explain how forces are generated by the muscle-tendon complex;
  • discuss the mechanisms of injury as they relate to internal and external forces;
  • interpret graphs and simple models;
  • apply related peer-reviewed research to interpret data collected by students;
  • describe tools used to acquire human movement data and discuss their efficacy;
  • apply active learning, critical thinking, and problem solving skills in the qualitative analysis of human movement.
Textbook Materials

Consult the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials may include:

  • Flanagan, S.P., (current edition). Biomechanics: A case-based approach, Jones and Bartlett Learning
  • Hamm, K. (current version). Biomechanics of Human Movement. OER Commons. 
  • Scientific calculator

Requisites

Prerequisites

  • Foundations of Math 11  (C or higher), or
  • Precalculus Math 11 (C or higher), or
  • MATU 0411 (C or higher). 

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see

Institution Transfer Details for SPSC 1151
Camosun College (CAMO) CAMO KIN 150 (3) or CAMO PHYS 160 (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU KINE 151 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) No credit
Langara College (LANG) LANG KINS 1151 (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU BPK 1XX (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU PHED 1XXX (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU HKIN 298 (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO HES_O 102 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV KIN_V 216 (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC SCIE 1XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV KIN 215 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC EPHE 201 (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU KIN 1st (3)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum Seats
30
Currently Enrolled
4
Remaining Seats:
26
On Waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N2217
Times:
Start Time
10:30
-
End Time
12:20
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N2221
Times:
Start Time
10:30
-
End Time
12:20
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N2223
Times:
Start Time
10:30
-
End Time
12:20
Section Notes

Registration in this course provides registrants with a 'time conflict' error. This error can be disregarded for this course as it is due to a required room booking overlap.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum Seats
30
Currently Enrolled
1
Remaining Seats:
29
On Waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A2310
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A2312
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section Notes

SPSC 1151 003 - Registration in this course provides registrants with a 'time conflict' error. This error can be disregarded for this course as it is due to a required room booking overlap.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum Seats
30
Currently Enrolled
5
Remaining Seats:
25
On Waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - South Bldg.
Room
S1803
Times:
Start Time
14:30
-
End Time
16:20
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N2223
Times:
Start Time
14:30
-
End Time
16:20
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N2221
Times:
Start Time
14:30
-
End Time
16:20
Section Notes

Registration in this course provides registrants with a 'time conflict' error. This error can be disregarded for this course as it is due to a required room booking overlap.