Editing Biomechanics (section)

== Applications ==
The study of biomechanics ranges from the inner workings of a cell to the movement and development of [[Limb (anatomy)|limbs]], to the mechanical properties of [[soft tissue]],<ref name="Whitney, G. A. 2014"/> and [[bone]]s. Some simple examples of biomechanics research include the investigation of the forces that act on limbs, the [[aerodynamics]] of [[Bird flight|bird]] and [[insect]] [[flight]], the [[hydrodynamics]] of [[aquatic locomotion|swimming]] in [[fish]], and [[animal locomotion|locomotion]] in general across all forms of life, from individual cells to whole [[organism]]s. With growing understanding of the physiological behavior of living tissues, researchers are able to advance the field of [[tissue engineering]], as well as develop improved treatments for a wide array of [[pathology|pathologies]] including cancer.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Nia|first=H.T.|display-authors=etal|date=2017|title=Solid stress and elastic energy as measures of tumour mechanopathology|journal=Nature Biomedical Engineering|language=en|volume=004|pages=0004|doi=10.1038/s41551-016-0004|pmid=28966873|pmc=5621647}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

Biomechanics is also applied to studying human musculoskeletal systems. Such research utilizes force platforms to study human ground reaction forces and infrared videography to [[Motion capture|capture]] the trajectories of markers attached to the human body to study human 3D motion.  Research also applies [[electromyography]] to study muscle activation, investigating muscle responses to external forces and perturbations.<ref>Basmajian, J.V, & DeLuca, C.J. (1985) Muscles Alive: Their Functions Revealed, Fifth edition. Williams & Wilkins.</ref>

Biomechanics is widely used in orthopedic industry to design orthopedic implants for human joints, dental parts, external fixations and other medical purposes. Biotribology is a very important part of it. It is a study of the performance and function of biomaterials used for orthopedic implants. It plays a vital role to improve the design and produce successful biomaterials for medical and clinical purposes. One such example is in tissue engineered cartilage.<ref name="Whitney, G. A. 2014"/> The dynamic loading of joints considered as impact is discussed in detail by Emanuel Willert.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Willert|first=Emanuel|url=https://www.springer.com/de/book/9783662602959|title=Stoßprobleme in Physik, Technik und Medizin: Grundlagen und Anwendungen|date=2020|publisher=Springer Vieweg|language=de}}</ref>

It is also tied to the field of [[engineering]], because it often uses traditional engineering sciences to analyze [[biological systems]]. Some simple applications of [[Classical mechanics|Newtonian mechanics]] and/or [[materials science]]s can supply correct approximations to the mechanics of many [[biological systems]]. Applied mechanics, most notably [[mechanical engineering]] disciplines such as [[continuum mechanics]], [[Mechanism (engineering)|mechanism]] analysis, [[Structural system|structural]] analysis, [[kinematics]] and [[Dynamics (mechanics)|dynamics]] play prominent roles in the study of biomechanics.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qq5JDOvo0YwC&pg=PA75|title=Biomechanical Modelling at the Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Levels|last1=Holzapfel|first1=Gerhard A.|last2=Ogden|first2=Ray W.|date=2009|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-3-211-95875-9|page=75}}</ref>
[[Image:Protein translation.gif|thumb|300px| A [[ribosome]] is a [[biological machine]] that utilizes [[protein dynamics]]]]
Usually biological systems are much more complex than man-built systems. [[Numerical methods]] are hence applied in almost every biomechanical study. Research is done in an iterative process of hypothesis and verification, including several steps of [[Conceptual model|modeling]], [[computer simulation]] and [[Experiment|experimental measurements]].