Question 1

What is a lever in the body and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

A lever in the body is a rigid bar (bone) that rotates around a fulcrum (joint) when a force (muscle contraction) is applied to overcome a load (weight or resistance). There are three classes of lever, determined by the order of fulcrum, load, and effort. Most body levers are third class, where the effort is between the fulcrum and load, allowing for fast, wide-ranging movements like throwing a ball.

Question 2

What is the difference between flexion and extension?

Accepted Answer

Flexion is the bending movement that decreases the angle at a joint, such as bending your elbow to bring your hand toward your shoulder. Extension is the straightening movement that increases the angle, like straightening your arm. These movements occur in the sagittal plane around a frontal axis. Examples include a bicep curl (flexion) and a triceps pushdown (extension).

Question 3

How do I remember the three classes of levers?

Accepted Answer

A common mnemonic is '1-2-3, F-L-E' where the order of fulcrum (F), load (L), and effort (E) changes. For first class, F is in the middle (e.g., seesaw). For second class, L is in the middle (e.g., wheelbarrow). For third class, E is in the middle (e.g., tweezers). In the body, remember: nodding head (1st), standing on tiptoes (2nd), and bicep curl (3rd).

Question 4

What is an antagonistic muscle pair?

Accepted Answer

An antagonistic muscle pair consists of two muscles that work opposite each other to produce movement. The agonist (prime mover) contracts to create the movement, while the antagonist relaxes to allow it. For example, in a bicep curl, the biceps brachii is the agonist and the triceps brachii is the antagonist. When you straighten your arm, the roles reverse.

Question 5

Why are most levers in the body third class?

Accepted Answer

Third class levers have the effort between the fulcrum and load, which means the effort arm is shorter than the load arm. This arrangement sacrifices force for speed and range of motion. In sports like throwing, kicking, or swinging a racket, speed is more important than force, so third class levers are ideal for generating fast, powerful movements.

Question 6

What are planes and axes in movement analysis?

Accepted Answer

Planes are imaginary flat surfaces that divide the body: sagittal (left-right), frontal (front-back), and transverse (top-bottom). Axes are imaginary lines around which rotation occurs: sagittal (front-back), frontal (side-to-side), and vertical (up-down). Movements occur in a plane around a perpendicular axis. For example, a somersault is in the sagittal plane around the frontal axis; a cartwheel is in the frontal plane around the sagittal axis.

Movement analysis

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