Biomechanics is an entire field of study dedicate to optimizing movement – you’d be surprised at just how much small changes can improve your motion, especially if you’re a sportsperson or athlete. This week, let’s learn a bit about Biomechanics, and why it matters!
What is Biomechanics?
Biomechanics is a multidisciplinary field that combines principles from biology and mechanics to study the mechanics of living organisms and their movement. It explores the interactions between the body’s structure, function, and forces acting upon it. By applying the laws of physics and engineering principles, biomechanics seeks to understand how organisms, ranging from microscopic cells to complex human beings, generate, control, and adapt to various forms of movement. This field encompasses a wide range of applications, including analyzing the mechanics of human motion, studying the forces acting on tissues and organs, investigating the design and function of biological structures, and developing innovative technologies and interventions to enhance performance, prevent injuries, and improve the quality of life.
As an athlete, by far the most important result of this entire field of study can be summarised simply – Move better, play better! In fac, how about…Move better, feel better. Move better, age better. Move better, train better!
That said… is it any wonder that almost every professional sports team now employs a chiropractor?
Improving Biomechanics for Athletes
So, where do we start?
Developing a fitness plan that includes dynamic stretching, strength training, and cardiovascular exercise can help you maintain proper biomechanics and decrease your chance of injury.
Key aspects would involve making time to move through your body’s full range of motion each day and perhaps alternating training different muscle groups every other day.
Whatever the specifics, the focus is on movement.
So, how do you know if your biomechanics are optimal?
That’s where a biomechanics assessment at Complete Chiropractic comes in – and in fact, it’s not even anything special – a biomechanics assessment is an essential part of every chiropractic evaluation!
Chiropractors are trained to carefully examine your biomechanics and movement patterns and to provide passive and active ways to improve them.
It’s important to keep in mind that no two people move the same, so having a functional movement assessment is critical if you’re looking for ways to improve your own unique movement patterns.
That’s especially true when it comes to improving biomechanics for athletes. Movement (biomechanics) assessments can help identify altered biomechanics before you have pain and discomfort. By proactively addressing these issues, you may not only be able to reduce your risk of injury but also improve your athletic performance. Biomechanics assessments are especially important for athletes who rely on specific movement patterns, such as runners or tennis players.
Improving biomechanics can also benefit athletes recovering from injuries. Research has shown that correcting biomechanical issues can improve rehabilitation outcomes and reduce the likelihood of reinjury[1]
In fact, a study published in the Journal of Athletic Training found that correcting faulty movement patterns in athletes reduced their risk of reinjury[2]
Want to maximise your movement?
Improving your biomechanics is critical to reducing your risk of injury and improving your athletic performance.
And if you’re a local athlete looking to optimize your movement patterns and reduce your risk of injury, consider a biomechanics assessment at Complete Chiropractic.
Our team can help you identify any issues and we’ll work with you to create a personalised plan designed to quickly and easily improve your specific biomechanics.
Contact us today to schedule your assessment and take the first step towards moving better and playing better!
[1] Preventing Sports Injuries. University of Rochester Medical Center. 2023.
[2] Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy Result in Better Long-Term Outcome? Spine. 2011.
