Fundamentals of Biomechanics

of muscle tension in creating human movement.
There are many other complexities in
how muscles create movement. The next
section will briefly review the logic of functional
anatomical analysis and how biomechanics
must be combined with anatomy to
understand how muscles create movement.
THE LIMITATIONS
OF FUNCTIONAL
ANATOMICAL ANALYSIS
Anatomy classifies muscles into functional
groups (flexors/extensors, abductors/adductors,
etc.) based on hypothesized actions.
These muscle groups are useful general
classifications and are commonly used
in fitness education, weight training, and
rehabilitation. These hypothesized muscle
actions in movements and exercises are
used to judge the relevance of various exercise
training or rehabilitation programs.
This section will show that such qualitative
estimations of muscle actions are often incorrect.
Similarly, many of the muscle actions
hypothesized by coaches and thera-
CHAPTER 3:ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION AND ITS LIMITATIONS 53
Figure 3.11. The Hill model of muscle describes the active and passive tension created by
the MTU. Active tension is modeled by the contractile component, while passive tension is
modeled by the series and parallel elastic components.
pists from subjective observation of movement
are not correct (Bartlett, 1999; Herbert,
Moore, Moseley, Schurr, & Wales, 1993).
Kinesiology professionals can only determine
the true actions of muscle by examining
several kinds of biomechanical studies
that build on anatomical information.
Mechanical Method of Muscle
Action Analysis
Functional anatomy, while not an oxymoron,
is certainly a phrase that stretches
the truth. Functional anatomy classifies
muscles actions based on the mechanical
method of muscle action analysis. This
method essentially examines one muscle's
line of action relative to one joint axis of rotation,
and infers a joint action based on orientation
and pulls of the muscle in the
anatomical position (Figure 3.12). In the
sagittal plane, the biceps brachii is classified
as an elbow flexor because it is assumed
that (1) the origins are at the shoulder
joint, (2) the insertion is on the radial
tuberosity, and (3) the anterior orientation