AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, students should understand the biomechanical processes underlying human movement during the execution of motor and sporting gestures and know the principles and laws governing the biomechanics of human movement.

TEACHING METHODS

Lecture

Any Student with documented Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or with any special needs, shall reach out to the Lecturer(s) and to the dedicated SLD Representative in the Department before class begins, in order to liase and arrange the specific teaching methods and ensure proper achievement of the learning aims and outcomes.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Definition of locomotion
• The biomechanics of walking: description of the parameters that characterise walking, the gait cycle (phases, joint movements of the lower limb, ground reaction force, activity of the lower limb muscles, energy aspects)
• The biomechanics of competitive walking: differences with walking, star-wheel model, ground reaction force
• The biomechanics of running: the phases of running, mass-spring model, ground reaction force, differences with walking, moment of inertia, role of conservation of angular momentum, role of the upper limbs
• The biomechanics of vertical jumps (laws of motion and dynamics of jumping, Sargent Test, Bosco Test) and long jump (description of the parameters and phases that characterise it, role of the upper limbs)
• The biomechanics of throwin        
• Biomechanics of cycling: description of the driving and resisting forces, joint movements of the lower limbs during cycling
• The biomechanics of downhill skiing: forces involved, modelling downhill motion
• The biomechanics of swimming: description of the forces and how they affect swimming performance (gravity, Archimedes' thrust, water resistance, lift), action and reaction power, propulsion efficiencies

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Slides provided by the lecturer.

Legnani, Palmieri, Fassi, "Introduzione alla biomeccanica dello sport", Città Studi Edizioni.

Anthony Blazevich, Biomeccanica dello Sport, Calzetti Mariucci Editori.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LAURA AVANZINO (President)

AMBRA BISIO (President)

ANDREA CANESSA (President)

MARCO BOVE (President and Coordinator of Integrated Course)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Spring semester.

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written examination with 31 multiple choice questions (4 possible choices, one correct). Each question is worth one point. The duration is 40 minutes.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Assessment of knowledge related to biomechanics of sports presented in lecture

FURTHER INFORMATION

Propaedeutics: Physiology 1 and physics.

It is recommended, at the beginning of the course, to subscribe to Aulaweb so as to receive information and be kept up-to-date on teaching details.

In case of certification of specific learning disorders (DSA), disabilities or other special educational needs, it is necessary to contact the Referring Lecturer of the DISABILITY and DSA Commission for DIMES, Prof. N. Girtler (nicolagirtler@unige.it) who, after assessing the individual case, will send the teachers the necessary indications both for the development of the lessons and for the way of conducting the examination.