January

 25,  2016  Revision  

KINE 425 – Biomechanics

California State University, San Marcos Spring 2016 CRN: 20631,20632,20633

INSTRUCTOR: Hyun Gu Kang, Ph.D. OFFICE/PHONE: UH 316 (760) 750-7360

CLASS SCHEDULE: Tuesday/Thursday 1-2:15, 2:30pm-5pm
CLASS LOCATION: UH 257 and UH 260 Lab
OFFICE HOURS: W 12-1, 3-30;* 4:30-5*, and by appt. EMAIL: hkang@csusm.edu
*I have committee meetings 3:30-4:30 on some Wednesdays but other Wednesdays are open. TBA.

Invitation: Do you know how your body moves? You already know how, but can you describe what is
exactly going on? If you are considering a career in getting other people to move well, how will you
know that they are moving well? Biomechanics will give you the language and tools to address these
questions.

Course Description: Biomechanics of Human Movement. Principles of mechanics applied to anatomical

structure, function and gross human movement. The mechanics of selected implements and mechanical
systems. The analysis of selected motor skills and applications. Prerequisites: BIOL 177, 178, MATH 125

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Identify and solve problems related to the mechanics of human motion.
2. Identify muscles being used in a given movement
3. Develop opinions on the issues in biomechanics
4. Acquire, analyze, and interpret time series biomechanical data from research equipment,
5. Construct new knowledge in biomechanics through the completion of a novel research project.

Course Materials and Text:

McCaw Steve. Biomechanics for Dummies. 2004. Wiley.
Articles: Teyhen 2005, Broglio et al 2009, Ayyappa 1997, Bejan 2010, Lieberman 2010, Whitcome 2007,
Donelan 2008, Lv 2010

Other supplies: (1) You also must wear flexible clothing that will allow you to fully participate in the
movement activities in lecture and lab. (2) Calculator with trig functions

Recommended Resources
Hall, S.J. (2006). Basic Biomechanics, 5th edition. McGraw-Hill: New York, New York.
McGinnis, P. (2005). Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise. Human Kinetics: Champaign, Illinois.
Schaum’s Outline of Beginning Physics I: Mechanics and Heat

Grading System: Out of 1000 points. Subject to change.

Major Assignments: (550) Midterm: 100
Movement Analysis (100) Quiz 10points x 8
Opinion Papers (100) Online Homework 10 x 7
Research Report (150) Lab Reports 25 x 7
Sandpit Design (100) Red Flag 25
Activity Modification (100)
Final Grades: A >=930> A- >=900> B+>=870>B >= 830> B->=800>C+>=770>C>= 730>C->700
700>=D+> 670>=D>630>D->=600>F.

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Schedule
Date Read Class Topic Due at Noon Labs
before
class
1/26 Ch1-3 Dangerous stuff Movement Description
1/28 P.93-94 Phases
2/2 Gait Analysis Opinion 1 Anthropometry
2/4 Ch15 Muscle Mechanics
2/9 Ch16 Muscular Analysis Rotation
2/11 Quiz 1
2/16 Ch 1-4 Vectors and Knee Rotation
2/18 Ch 1-4 Vectors-Shoulder Movement
Quiz 2 Analysis
2/26 Ch 5 Kinematics Homework 1 Rotation
2/25 Projectiles
Quiz 3
3/1 Ch 4,6 Kinetics 1 Homework 2 Rotation
3/3 Kinetics 2
3/8 Kinetics 3 Opinion 2 Rotation
Quiz 4
3/10 Ch 7 Work-Energy 1 Homework 3
3/15 Work-Energy 2 Project 1
3/17 Quiz 5 Sand Pit Homework 4 due
Design 3/28
3/29 Ch 19 Forensics Sand Pit Due No lab
3/31* No Class/Midterm Midterm Due
4/5 Ch 8 Torque Project 2
4/7 Ch 9 Angular Mo 1
4/12 Angular Mo 2 Project 3
Quiz 6
4/14 Ch 10 Angular Kinetics 1 Homework 5
4/19 Angular Kinetics 2 Project 4
4/21 Angular Kinetics 3
4/26 Inverse Dynamics Project 5
Quiz 7
4/28 Joint Mechanics Homework 6
5/3 Ch 12 Material mechanics Opinion 3 Draft Presentations
5/5 Ch 13 Bone Mechanics
5/10 Biomaterials Activity Modification
Quiz 8
5/12 Fluids Homework 7
5/19 11:30-1:30pm Activity Mod due 5/17
Poster Presentations
I reserve the right to modify the schedule as necessary.
** Unless specified otherwise, all assignments are due at Noon PT.
Labs/research materials are due at Noon, just before next lab as indicated in the lab manual

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Course Policies:
1. Attendance is highly recommended. Lab absences will cost 1% of course grade each.
2. Homework and labs must be handed in or uploaded per instructions by the due time. Late
assignments will NOT be accepted except for extraordinary circumstances.
3. Opportunities for make-up tests will be granted by the professor on an individual basis. Tests
taken late may lose points where appropriate. Because of the group nature of the quiz, they
cannot be made up.
4. Laboratory attendance is mandatory to receive credit for the laboratory assignment. Missed lab
assignments cannot be made up.
5. Tardiness: if you arrive more than 5 minutes late for class, please wait until 9:45 to enter, during
our short intermission.
6. Absences for sports teams: it is your responsibility to plan ahead for any missed tests and quizzes
before they occur.
7. If you are unable to attend either Tuesday or Thursday lab of that week you will receive a zero.
8. Absences for final project presentations will result in a zero for the presentation grade.
9. Lectures and in-class activities will concentrate on a scientific approach to mechanisms
underlying human movement. Laboratory sessions will deal with applied aspects of concepts in
mechanics and motion analysis. I do not make a big distinction as to what is ‘lecture’ or ‘lab’ and
many things will occur across both ‘lecture’ and ‘lab’ classes.
10. This is a face-to-face class with substantial online web-assisted course contents. Many
assignments, exams and activities will occur on your own time electronically. Many class
activities will be managed through the Cougar Courses.
11. Because of the biomechanical nature of the material, many class activities involve physical
participation with body movements, including those that may seem silly or childish. Participation
in these movement and awareness activities are critical for your learning and success in this
course.
12. Because of the integrative and multidisciplinary nature of the material, group work is a large part
of this course. You are expected to contribute to all group work, whether in-class or outside by
doing your personal preparations. During in-class group work, you are expected to attend and
participate. To facilitate group work, I will give as much time as possible in class. Use this time
wisely.
13. You will need to put in minimum 6 hours per week outside of class. Please clear your schedule
accordingly.
14. Because of the integrative and open-ended nature of the material, you will have to teach yourself
some skills that may not be covered in class, as well as define and clarify ambiguous, vague, and
conflicting problems in your own terms. Many of these high-level cognitive processes are time-
and energy-consuming. It cannot be learned by “just tell me what to know for the test” mentality.
15. Because of the physical and mathematical nature of the material, you will need to review or learn
certain mathematical concepts including algebra, trigonometry, and vectors.
16. Speak for yourself: Whenever appropriate, speak in the first person. Your personal experience of
the course material and your own body mechanics are uniquely yours. No one else will do it for
you.

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Academic Integrity or Dishonesty

Students will be expected to adhere to standards of academic honesty and integrity, as outlined in the
Student Academic Honesty Policy. All assignments must be original work, clear and error-free. All
ideas/material that are borrowed from other sources must have appropriate references to the original
sources. Any quoted material should give credit to the source and be punctuated accordingly. Use of
internet materials must abide by copyright laws and fair use policy.

Students are responsible for honest completion and representation of their work. Your course catalog
details the ethical standards and penalties for infractions. There will be zero tolerance for infractions. If
you believe there has been an infraction by someone in the class, please bring it to the instructor's
attention. The instructor reserves the right to discipline any student for academic dishonesty, in
accordance with the general rules and regulations of the university. Disciplinary action may include the
lowering of grades and/or the assignment of a failing grade for an exam, assignment, or the class as a
whole. Students are encouraged to work together. However, unless noted otherwise, all students need to
turn in work that is their own in their own words.

Code of Conduct: Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner appropriate for class and
comply with the rules of student conduct. The rules of student conduct are included in the California
Code of Regulations, Title 5, and beginning at Section 41301. A student who violates university policies
or regulations is subject to disciplinary action, which can result in a warning, reprimand, probation,
suspension, or expulsion. The Chancellor of the California State University specifies procedures under
which the university may take disciplinary action against a student. These procedures are on file in the
Office of the Dean of Students, Craven Hall, Room 5306.

Accommodations for Disabilities: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations
must be approved for services by providing appropriate and recent documentation to the Office of
Disabled Student Services (DSS). This office is located in Craven Hall 5205, and can be contacted by
phone at (760) 750-4905, or TTY (760) 750-4909. Students authorized by DSS to receive reasonable
accommodations should meet with me during my office hours in order to ensure confidentiality. Students
must submit the accommodation paperwork to the instructor within first two weeks of the course or
ASAP, or I may not be able to make arrangements in time. I am here to help, but you must let me know
ASAP.

Classroom Courtesy Guidelines:

a. Attendance is not mandatory. Please do not attend if you cannot follow these guidelines.
b. Avoid excessive disruptive restroom breaks
c. Respect individual diversity of each person in the class and in the world. If you make a rude comment,
you will be expelled from the classroom.
d. Cell Phones and earphones– I do not want to see them, even for use as calculators, unless specified
otherwise. Devices must be used for as directed only as directed.

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Assignment Instructions:

Opinion Paper 1: 30 points

Overall description: This assignment is an opportunity to state your opinions on the various
issues around biomechanics. It is important to develop an informed opinion as a kinesiology
professional. Write between 450-550 words total.

Learning goals: After completing this assignment, you will be able to state opinions, reflect on
your experiences in biomechanics and your learning styles.

Directions: State whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with the
following statements, and explain why. Cite one source to support your claim.
• Women should not engage in activities that stress their ACL
• Barefoot running is should be promoted
• “White”/European descent people will not overcome their anthropometry to compete in
World-class sprinting events; and “Black”/West African descent people will not
overcome their anthropometry to complete in World-class swimming events.
• Obese men are more likely to tip over than women.
• Knees should stay above toes during the squat

Answer the following questions:

• What is in it (this course) for you (besides a graduation requirement)?
• When do you best learn by yourself? with others? with the teacher?
• How are anatomical movements similar to pulmonary gas exchange (alveoli, oxygen,
hemoglobin, etc.)?

Movement Analysis (100 pts)

Overall Description: Take a dance move, or a sports move, or an exercise move/drill, and
describe it to someone who can’t just see what to do: a blind person who wants to learn, or a
Parkinson's patient that needs verbal cueing of movement. Your goal is to create (1) qualitative
model (2) muscular analysis (3) a step by step instruction and teaching guide.

Requirements: The instructional material you create needs to include: both BIG PICTURE
movements as well as the DETAILS; both DIRECT TECHNICAL terminology for the instructor
to look out for (ex. the shoulder needs to be flexed) as well as INDIRECT IMAGERY for the
student (ex. hug the water then throw it away); both JOINT coordinate system (supinate the
radioulnar joint 40 degrees to neutral) as well as GLOBAL coordinate system (move the thumb
superiorly and distally); both PROCESS (how) and GOAL (where to) (abduct the shoulder - to
bring the hand toward the head); both CORRECT and INCORRECT movements (ensure that
neck stays neutral, not extended);
Assignment must be typed and uploaded through CC Turnitin Link.
Recommended length: 2-3 pages

Grading guidelines:
10 points for following directions, PROJECT CLARITY, easy to read and follow, correct
English/grammar usage. Indicate how long this assignment took to complete.
10 points for TIMELINE – phases and positions

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20 points for correct joint MOTION terminology within each phase - and not vague as to what
should occur. (such as 'knee internal rotation', not "rotate the wrist"). This is the 'details' of the
instruction.
10 points for MUSCLE GROUPS used (elbow flexors, etc. )
10 points for correct muscle ACTION (concentric/eccentric/isometric/relaxed)
10 points for force/TORQUE directions
10 points for being truly INSTRUCTIVE. Contains both big picture and details, etc. Include
information on the very basic description of the task.
10 points for use of IMAGERY to help guide the movement for the reader
10 points on possible ERRORS/how it can be done wrong

Some hints:
Choose a movement that is only a few seconds long
Make sure you specify movement at a particular joint, not the body segment. i.e., 'flex the
shoulder' not 'lift the arm'
Make sure you describe the HOW and the WHAT of the movement, not only what the final result
is: "extend the elbow and internally rotate the shoulder and adduct the shoulder then pronate the
radioulnar joint" not just "move your hand to your hip"
Many movements have very specific counting patterns or beats. Organize your writing around
those beats or sets, rather than simply a sequence. A coordinated movement works because
specific movements occur at specific times. Otherwise it can look awkward without correct
timing. Be sure to rely on the timeline you developed. How many phases are there? What are
the positions?
Use the following example scheme to describe the movement: "During the lift phase, bring the
hand forward (or other directional description) by flexing the shoulder (and other anatomical
descriptions)"
Assume that the person has never seen the task before, and therefore don’t know what anything
is. Be sure to describe in big picture terms WHAT the task is. (ex. “jumping is a task there the
body goes up and down”)

Online Homeworks
You will take “tests” on CC. Each homework set has 3-7 problems for you to solve. You have
unlimited tries to get them all right, until the due time.

Activity Modification (100 pts):

Overview: Biomechanical principles can be used to make physical activities accessible to
everyone and yet effective. Activities can be modified to make them easier even for those with
disability, weakness, or aging. Being able to do these physical activities will help people
embrace other physical activities as a part of their lifestyle. It is important to tap into each
person's self-efficacy about doing physical activity, so that he or she is not turned off by the
thought of physical activity.

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Learning Goals: After this assignment, you will be able to: (1) use principles of mechanics to
design new exercises for different populations (2) visualize forces and torques on the body (3)
demonstrate exercises.

Directions: Take an activity from training/education/rehabilitation settings as analyzed in your

other assignments. Explain different ways to modify it so that it is easier to do, and more
accessible to all, particularly for those with disabilities or other difficulties. Feel free to use props
or create one.

See Lab Manual for detailed directions and grading guidelines.

Opinion 2: 30 points
Directions: Read articles by Bejan, Lieberman, Whitcome. Based on the article information and
material discussed in class, state whether you (A) strongly agree, (B) agree, (C) disagree or (D)
strongly disagree with the EACH of the following statements, and explain why.

• Women should not engage in activities that stress their ACL

• Barefoot running is should be promoted
• “White”/European descent people will not overcome their anthropometry to compete in
World-class sprinting events; and “Black”/West African descent people will not
overcome their anthropometry to complete in World-class swimming events.
• Obese men are more likely to tip over than women.
• Knees should stay above toes during the squat

Write about 250 words on each.

Describe class concepts related to your opinion on this issue – everything up to Kinetics
Cite four sources: One: the article (Bejan, Lieberman or Whitcome); Two: the textbook or another
biomechanics resource; two other sources on each opinion

Sandpit Design (100 points)

Overview: As a trained biomechanist, you have a professional duty to communicate important
information to those who make decisions, especially when safety is at risk. You will design a
sandpit for a long jump that is safe for the population of your choosing.

Learning Goals: After this assignment you will be able to: (1) take a real life problem and design
a solution based on biomechanical principles. (2) cope with ambiguous, open ended projects with
no specific solutions. (3) communicate important information effectively to non-scientist
audiences

Scenario: You need a new sandpit for your students or athletes. How deep should it be? How
will you convince the budget office that you need such a depth? Never compromise on safety.
Choose a population (such as kindergarten kids, 6th graders, high school, college or Olympic
level).

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Requirements:
20 - Format: 2 page report to your principal, athletic director, Dr. Karen Haynes, or other
decision makers. Easy to read and clean presentation.
20 - use of at least 3 formulas
20 - reasonable amount of sand. (10 ft is too much; 2 inches is too little)
20 - explanation of the decision process. Why those numbers?
20 - explanation of why this is important.

Opinion 3: 40 points:
Directions: Choose 4 Based on the article information and material discussed in class, state
whether you (A) strongly agree, (B) agree, (C) disagree or (D) strongly disagree with the EACH
of the following statements, and explain why.

• Women should not engage in activities that stress their ACL

• Barefoot running is should be promoted
• “White”/European descent people will not overcome their anthropometry to compete in
World-class sprinting events; and “Black”/West African descent people will not
overcome their anthropometry to complete in World-class swimming events.
• Obese men are more likely to tip over than women.
• Knees should stay above toes during the squat

Write about 250 words on each.

Describe class concepts related to your opinion on this issue – everything up to angular kinetics
Cite FIVE sources for each: Two research articles. Provide a reference list (not part of the word count)

Research Project:

Preparatory Activities (50 Total)

CITI Training (5)
Consent Form (5)
Pilot Data Analysis (5)
Methods (5)
Mock Results Plots (5)
Introduction (5)
Results Plots (10)
Draft Presentation (10)

Final Presentation (during Finals Timeslot 5/19 1:30-2:30) (50 points)

Overview: You will give a 10 minute presentation as a group and answer questions from the
audience. See Project Guidelines for details

Group vs. Individual: A single group grade, with adjustments for individual contributions.

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Grading:
10 Professionalism (no technical glitches, rehearsed, no ‘um’ ‘like’ and other fillers,
professional dress, etc.)
10 Engaging and Fun
10 Ability to answer questions
10 Visual Design: Easy to understand and read material, lots of pictures, not too small
text or too much or too little contrast
10 Clarity of the science – research question, hypothesis, your answer

Extra credit: ask a question, and get 1 point extra, up to 5 total.

Final Report: 50 points

Directions: Create a document on.com or on Google Docs where everyone’s work will be
combined. Be sure to share the link to the file with me so I can see it!
sanmarcosfallprevention@gmail.com)

Be sure to include the link to the file AND submit the document via Turnitin.

Group vs. Individual: Only one paper per group. You will all receive a single grade, unless it is
obvious that certain individuals are not contributing.

Grading: 5 points each for: Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion,
References. 10 points for Figure(s). 10 points for Figure caption to explain the figure. 5 points
for format/spelling/formal language.

You must turn in the paper into CC as a word file, as well as a link to Google docs.

Red Flag: 25 points

You must raise a question or an issue that affects everyone in class, during lecture time only.
Red Flag is valid during:
1:00-2:15pm time
Something for everyone
If you are confused about the material – speak up!

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