Applied Anatomy and Biomechanics in Sport

Applied Anatomy and Biomechanics in Sport, Second Edition, concentrates on the various ways in which an athlete—whether the average participant or the elite competitor—can modify technique to achieve optimal performance. Its emphasis on athletic assessment and physical capacity modification provides a unique perspective that will help coaches and other sport professionals appraise the body structure of their athletes so that strengths can be fully utilized and weaknesses improved. The text also considers growth, development, and gender, and it makes readers aware of mechanical overstresses that can impair performance and cause injuries.

The second edition has undergone a complete revision and is designed with practical application in mind. It includes chapter contributions by respected sport scientists presenting recent research and cutting-edge information on topics such as:

• the development of improved training methods to increase explosive power,

• the use of elastic energy in the development of power and speed,

• the modification of strength and body composition to improve performance, and

• the application of proportionality and posture to sport performance.
Applied Anatomy and Biomechanics in Sport relies on current research findings and proven methods in developing physical athletic performance to help readers learn to recognize and use appropriate methods to develop optimal physical qualities for skilled performance. The text categorizes 30 international sports into nine distinct groups organized by common features: racket sports; aquatic sports; gymnastics and power sports; track, field, and cycling; mobile field sports; set field sports; court sports; contact field sports; and martial arts. Within each group, techniques that improve performance are analyzed with specific examples given from a variety of international coaches.

The applied nature of the content is enhanced through a building-block approach that facilitates the understanding of the elements of human performance and how the interaction of those elements can be fine-tuned. The text employs a four-part structure:

• Fundamental Concepts relate to assessment and modification of an athlete's body structure, physical capacity, and technique, as well as talent identification and profiling.

• Applied Anatomy provides both a theoretical framework for valid and reliable assessment and evidence-based modification of an athlete's body structure and physical capacity.

• Applied Biomechanics explains how the analysis of sport technique may be used to improve athletic performance.

• A Practical Example uses in-depth analysis to provide a specific case for assessment of physical capacity and biomechanics of an athlete, the intervention program and technique modification employed, and the resultant influence on the athlete's performance.
Applied Anatomy and Biomechanics in Sport covers the latest assessment techniques used by exercise and sport science specialists to evaluate human physiques, physical capacities, and sport techniques. Using this text, readers can integrate and apply the elements of body structure, body composition, assessment, physiology, and biomechanics to assess current capabilities and enhance the performance of athletess.

About the Author

Timothy R. Ackland, PhD, is a professor of functional anatomy and biomechanics in the School of Exercise, Sport Science and Health at the University of Western Australia. Bruce C. Elliott, is the senior biomechanist and head of the School of Human Movement and Exercise Science at the University of Western Australia. John Bloomfield, PhD, is an emeritus professor at the University of Western Australia and a former director of the Hollywood Functional Rehabilitation Clinic at Hollywood Private Hospital in Perth.