Scientific sport | |
Applied anatomy and biomechanics in sport. J Bloomfield, T R
Ackland, B C Elliot. Melbourne: Blackwell Science 1994 (xvi + 374 pp). |
Our knowledge of sports science has exploded over the last two
decades. In this unique Australian text, three eminent authors
present the current knowledge of many aspects of sports performance
in a succinct, balanced and scientific manner.
In the excellent introduction, the authors give a clear analysis of the role of science in sport, focusing on physiological, psychological and biomechanical principles as they relate to performance. The book is divided into three broad sections: 1. Applied biomechanics; 2. Applied anatomy; and 3. Assessment of physical capacity. In section 1, the authors describe subjective and objective analyses of techniques in sport. They skilfully describe the role of biomechanics in improving sport performance, and I found their emphasis on preventing overuse injuries in training regimens with high-repetition moderate-force activities valuable. They stress that, during pre-adolescence, skill training is important, with the greatest gains in muscle strength and power occurring during mid-adolescence. The chapters in section 2 on modification of physique and technique to improve performance, body typing and composition in sport, and body proportions and postural considerations in sport performance, are easy to read and well documented. Rarely do we find such a collection of data in one volume. The highlight of the book is the superb review of strength and power in sport by G J Wilson, himself a former power lifter. This chapter covers the current understanding of skeletal muscle and its response to various training regimens. Both the basic science and its application to various sports are covered in great detail, and this chapter will, I believe, become a classic text for sports scientists, for athletes who participate in strength sports, and for the physicians who advise these interesting athletes. The section on steroid use is particularly well balanced and well documented. The chapter on flexibility in sport, which emphasises the importance of flexibility in preventing muscle-tendon-unit injury, should be compulsory reading for all physical educators, physicians and physiotherapists who manage athletes. Section 3 outlines the practical aspects of body typing: body composition, proportionality, posture, strength and power, flexibility, and speed and agility measurements. This book will, I predict, become a standard text in many human movement schools in Australia. Although it is primarily aimed at those who are interested in improving their sports performance (including coaches), it will also be valuable as an easy-to-read reference text for serious students of the application of science to sport, whether they be embryonic sports scientists, sports physicians, or orthopaedic physicians. Barry W Oakes |