Meaning & use
biomechanics
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
The scientific study of how living things move, using ideas from mechanics.
Grammar: Uncountable noun; takes a singular verb: biomechanics is a growing field.
Patterns
- the biomechanics of something
- study biomechanics
- apply biomechanics to something
Biomechanics helps athletes run faster by analyzing their movements.
The doctor used biomechanics to design a better artificial knee.
She is studying the biomechanics of how birds land on branches.
Common combinations
- sports biomechanics
- Sports biomechanics examines how swimmers move through water.
- the biomechanics of walking
- The biomechanics of walking involves muscles, bones, and joints.
- study biomechanics
- He went to university to study biomechanics and engineering.
- biomechanics research
- Biomechanics research has improved running shoes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- kinesiology
- Kinesiology focuses on human movement and muscles, while biomechanics uses physics and engineering to study all living things.
Word family
- biomechanical adjective
- Relating to the mechanics of living things.
- biomechanist noun
- A scientist who studies biomechanics.
Commonly confused: biomechanics or biochemistry?
biomechanics vs biochemistry
Biochemistry is the study of chemical processes in living things, while biomechanics studies their physical movement.
Practice
______ is used in sports science to study how athletes jump and land.
Choose one answer.
'Biomechanics' deals with movement and forces; 'biochemistry' deals with chemicals, not jumping.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “biomechanics”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.