Overview

KINESIOLOGY
The sum of what is known regarding human motion; the study of motion of the human body.

Kinesiology -- Examples of Major Subcategories:
Physiological Kinesiology, Structural Kinesiology, Mechanical Kinesiology, & Psychological Kinesiology.

Structural Kinesiology
• Primarily the study of the human musculoskeletal system -- bones, joints, and muscles.
   
• Other names: "applied anatomy," "functional anatomy," & "anatomical Kinesiology."
   
• Focus on anatomical structure of body and descriptive analysis of movement (directions, joint angles, relationships of movement.)
   

Mechanical Kinesiology
• Primarily the study of the mechanical factors involved directly and indirectly with human motion. Looks at the elements of motion -- time, space, and mass.
   
• Other name: "Biomechanics"
   
• Focus on descriptive analysis and causal analysis of human beings, associated objects, and environmental issues concerning movement
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  • Kinematics VS. Kinetics
    • KINEMATICS (time, space)
      Uses velocities, spatial relationships, and relationships of these to describe and analyze motion. Qualification of Motion.
       
    • KINETICS (time, space, mass)
      Uses velocities, spatial relationships, masses and relationships of these to analyze the forces that affect motion. Quantification of Motion.
       

      • Example of how properties and mechanical concepts can be used in real-life situations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RGb8oJ_Nz0
        Example of shot put mechanical analysis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gToagJHMXnA (Please ignore the advertisement)

        
        

Importance?
Without a thorough understanding of the musculoskeletal system's action in human movement; teachers, coaches, trainers limit their ability to improve a participant's performance.