Vector Analysis of Human Limb Motion
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How-To-Do-It Vector Analysis of Human Limb Motion Joseph E. Laferriere Most human anatomy textbooks list Deltoid A latissimus dorsi pulls the arm back- multiple functions for some of the ma- AbductionA wards ("extension")and downwards. jor muscles controlling the motion of Simultaneouscontraction of the pecto- the human appendicularskeleton. For ralis major and the latissimus dorsi Delt + Lat > _ Pect + Delt example, the pectoralismajor is said to results in movement straight down- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/56/7/438/46705/4449877.pdf by guest on 30 September 2021 cause both flexion and adduction of ward. The forward and backward the upper arm, while the latissimus Flexion components of the effects of the two dorsi is said to be involved in both Extension muscles cancel each other out. Simi- extension and adduction. This often Latissimus dorsi Pectoralis major larly, the simultaneous contractionof confuses introductory students who the deltoid and the pectoralis major have difficulty grasping three-dimen- Adduction - causes the arm to move forward and sional concepts without a visual dia- Lat + Pect upward. Contractionof these muscles gram. at different intensities can fine-tune I have found that using vectors to Figure 1. Vector analysis of move- the system so the arm can move in any illustrate these movements helps stu- ment of upper right arm (lateralview direction. Thus these 3 muscles are dents visualize the interaction of the with the subject's face toward the responsible for most of the range of various muscles and understand how right, with arms horizontal in the movement of the arm, enabling a small number of muscles can effect same plane as the body). Muscles are it to move in 180?. Various other movement in a potentially infinite indicated by roman type and solid muscles rotate the humerus along its number of directions. The diagramsin arrows; directions of movement are axis and move the bones of the pecto- Figures 1-3 are not meant to be thrust shown by italic type and dashed ral girdle, providing even more flexi- at students intact. If simply challenged arrows. bility. to figure them out on their own, most Similarly, the thigh is controlled students are likely to find the dia- primarilyby muscles pulling in 4 di- grams confusing. Instead, the dia- rections (Figure 2). The gluteus grams are meant to be constructed in The pectoralis major acting alone maximus pulls the thigh backwards class piece-by-pieceon a chalkboardor causes motion forward("flexion") and ("extension"), while the iliopsoas overhead projector accompanied by downward ("adduction"), while the (sometimes considered two separate verbal explanation. Different colors of chalk or ink can be used to distinguish between muscles and directions. The instructorcan use his/her own body as a model in illustrating the concepts A Flexion lliopsoas and ask the students to imitate the actions. Many texts provide photos or drawings that illustratethe directions. Three majormuscles are involved in movement of the human humerus (Figure 1). The diagram is presented from a lateralperspective, i.e. from the right side of the individual, with the Gluteus medius + minimus - - Adductors person's face being toward the right of the diagram. It also assumes that arms Abduction Adduction begin in a horizontal position in the same plane as the body. The deltoid muscle, when acting alone, causes up- ward movement called "abduction." ....E.... .... Gluteus maximus Extension Joseph E. Laferriereis at the Arnold Arboretumof HarvardUniversity, 22 Di- Figure2. Vectoranalysis of movement of right thigh (view from above, with face vinilyAve., Cambridge, MA02138. toward top of diagram). 438 THEAMERICAN BIOLOGY TEACHER, VOLUME 56, NO. 7, OCTOBER1994 ("adduction") by a group of 5 muscles: Dorsiflexion the gracilis, the pectinus, the adductor Tibialis anterior -----.------------------Peroneus tertius longus, the adductor brevis, and the adductor magnus. Movement of the foot is somewhat more complicated, both in terms of terminology and because of five differ- ent directions of force. Movement of ..... Inversion ......... _ Eversion the toes upward toward the knee is called "dorsiflexion"; movement of the toes in the opposite direction is "plantarflexion." Movement of the sole outward (away from the other TibialisTibialis posterior v .' - posterior Peroneus longis + brevis foot) is "eversion"; inward is "inver- sion." The powerful soleus, gastrocne- mius and plantaris muscles are in- volved in plantarflexion, a common action during walking. The various "Soleus tibialis and peroneus muscles pull the foot in 4 other directions, as shown in Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/56/7/438/46705/4449877.pdf by guest on 30 September 2021 i,astrocnemi in'ustarf/exion Figure 3. r + Plantaris Flexion and extension of the forearm and lower leg are much simpler be- Figure 3. Vector analysis of motion of right foot (view from above, with toes cause of the strictly planar motion of toward top of diagram). Arrow indicates upward motion in indicated direction. each. Other apparent motions are ac- tually due to rotation of the humerus and femur, respectively. Use of diagrams like those illus- muscles, the iliacus and the psoas gluteus minimus move the thigh out- trated here can help students grasp major)moves the thigh forward("flex- ward ("abduction"). The thigh is the flexibility and three-dimensional- ion"). The gluteus medius and the pulled inward toward the other thigh ity of human limb motion. Announcing ... 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