Sports Coach Blog
Website UpdatesMovement Analysis
Detailed analysis of movement is a complex activity requiring sophisticated equipment. However, basic analysis of movement can be done visually and should involve the following:
- A description of the actual movements which occur at the joints involved
- The plane(s) in which the movement occurs
- The muscles producing the movement
- The function of the muscles involved (agonists, antagonists, synergists & fixators)
- The type of contraction (isotonic -concentric or eccentric, isometric)
- The range of the muscle action (inner, middle, outer)
Analysis of Sprinting
The leg action in running is one that takes place in a sagittal plane about a frontal axis and involves the hip, knee and ankle joints.
The bones of the hip involved are the femur and pelvic girdle which form a ball and socket joint.
The bones of the knee involved are the femur and tibia which form a hinge joint.
The bones of the ankle involved are the tibia and calcaneus which form a modified joint.
Each of these joints produces two actions, one when the leg is in contact with the ground (driving phase) and one when the leg is not in contact with the ground (recovery phase).
Driving Phase
| Joints involved | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Hip | Extension and hyperextension | Gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus) and Hamstrings (biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus) |
| Knee | Extension | Quadriceps group of muscles (rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and vastus intermedialis) |
| Ankle | Plantar flexion | Gastrocnemius |
Recovery phase
| Joints involved | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Hip | Flexion | Iliopsoas |
| Knee | Flexion | Hamstrings (biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus) |
| Ankle | Dorsi flexion | Tibialis anterior |
Analysis of Throwing
Throwing comprises of two phases, the preparatory phase and the throwing phase. Most actions are rotational in the transverse plane and longitudinal axis and the two joints primarily involved are the elbow and shoulder. The elbow is a hinge joint formed by the humerus and ulna. The shoulder is a ball and socket joint formed between the humerus and the scapula. Note: The javelin is incorrectly held. See the Javelin section for more details. |
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Preparatory phase
| Joints involved | Articulating bones | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Shoulder | Humerus and scapula | Horizontal hyperextension | Posterior deltoids and latissimus dorsi |
| Elbow | Humerus and ulna | Extension | Triceps brachii |
Throwing phase
| Joints involved | Articulating bones | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Shoulder | Humerus and scapula | Horizontal flexion | Anterior deltoids and Pectoralis major |
| Elbow | Humerus and ulna | Flexion | Biceps brachii |
Analysis of racket strokes
There are two phases to striking a ball with a racket, the preparatory phase and the striking phase. Most actions are rotational in the transverse plane and longitudinal axis and the three joints concerned are the wrist, elbow and the shoulder The elbow is a hinge joint formed by the humerus and ulna. The shoulder is a ball and socket joint formed between the humerus and the scapula The wrist forms a condyloid joint between the ulna and carpal bones |
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Preparatory Phase
| Joints involved | Articulating bones | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Wrist | Ulna and carpal Radius and ulna |
Supination | Supinator |
| Elbow | Humerus and ulna | Extension | Triceps brachii |
| Shoulder | Humerus and scapula | Horizontal hyperextension | Posterior deltoid and latissimus dorsi |
Striking Phase
| Joints involved | Articulating bones | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Wrist | Ulna and carpal Radius and ulna |
Pronation | Pronator teres |
| Elbow | Humerus and ulna | Flexion | Biceps brachii |
| Shoulder | Humerus and scapula | Horizontal flexion | Pectoralis major and Anterior deltoid |
| Trunk | External obliques |
Analysis of jumping
The action in jumping is one that takes place in a sagittal plane about a transverse axis and involves the hip, knee and ankle joints. The bones of the hip involved are the femur and pelvic girdle which form a ball and socket joint. The bones of the knee involved are the femur and tibia which form a hinge joint. The bones of the ankle involved are the tibia and calcaneus which form a modified joint. |
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| Joints involved | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Hip> | Extension and hyperextension | Gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus) and Hamstrings (biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus) |
| Knee | Extension | Quadriceps group of muscles (rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and vastus intermedialis) |
| Ankle | Plantar flexion | Gastrocnemius |
Analysis of Kicking
The action in kicking is one that takes place in a sagittal plane about a frontal axis and involves the hip, knee and ankle joints. The bones of the hip involved are the femur and pelvic girdle which form a ball and socket joint. The bones of the knee involved are the femur and tibia which form a hinge joint. The bones of the ankle involved are the tibia and calcaneus which form a modified joint. Kicking comprises of two phases, the preparatory phase and the kicking phase. |
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Preparatory Phase
| Joints involved | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Hip | Extension and hyperextension | Gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus) |
| Knee | Flexion | Hamstrings (biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus) |
| Ankle | Plantar flexion | Gastrocnemius |
Kicking phase
| Joints involved | Action | Agonist Muscle |
| Hip | Flexion | Iliopsoas |
| Knee | Extension | Quadriceps group of muscles (rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and vastus intermedialis) |
| Ankle | Plantar flexion | Gastrocnemius |
Page Reference
The reference for this page is:
- MACKENZIE, B. (2007) Movement Analysis [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/moveanal.htm [Accessed
Associated Pages
The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page:
- Articles on Physiology
- Blood Pressure
- Body Fat
- Body Type
- Energy Pathways
- Ideal Weight
- Lactic Acid
- Maximum Heart Rate
- Movement Analysis
- Muscle Types
- Protein
- Range of Movement
- Vitamins
- VO2 max
