Sports biomechanics is one of the fundamental disciplines in the larger field of sports science.

It is the study and analysis of human movement in sport. More specifically - Biomechanics is the study of forces acting on the human body during movement and the effect that these forces have on performance, including the interaction between the athlete and their equipment.

Primarily these studies are broken down into two broad areas: kinetics (the study of forces acting on the body) and kinematics (the study of movements of the body).

Biomechanical testing can take place in the lab or in the field, during training or competition. There are a wide variety of testing procedures in biomechanics depending upon the sport and also depending upon the skill within the sport.

Biomechanics staff use tools like mathematical modelling, computer simulations, and measurements to analyse motion and forces occurring during training and competition with the aim of improving sports performance and reducing injury risk.

Improving technique may occur in two ways: sport science staff and coaches may use their knowledge of mechanics to correct an athlete's movement pattern to improve the execution of a skill, or to discover a new and more effective technique for performing the skill.

Biomechanics work closely with strength and conditioning and medical staff to help identify what forces may have caused an injury, how to prevent the injury from recurring (or occurring in the first place), and what exercises may assist with rehabilitation from the injury. Biomechanics can be used to provide the basis for alterations in technique, equipment, or training to prevent or rehabilitate injuries.

Performance analysis examines competition and training performance and underpins each of
the major sports science disciplines.

Performance analysis uses the latest innovative video and computer-based technologies to
examine and evaluate individual and team sport performance.

Analysts provide coaches and athletes with:

• visual feedback to coaches and athletes to help improve performance;
• objective competition and training data that may include time-coded video, statistical data or individual race analysis information.

In theory

Skill acquisition is the science of skill learning, and aims to improve how elite athletes learn, how coaches teach and how training transfers into competition.

Skill acquisition specialists use their knowledge of motor learning and pedagogy, to help coaches design innovative practice environments to help athletes learn and adapt their skills for competition.

In practice

Skill acquisition specialists work closely with coaches to help design training environments to
accelerate athletes' skill development, where skill is considered as skill = technique + pressure.

This can include, but is not restricted to:

• Skill periodisation
• Session design and structure
• Learning vs performance
• Instruction and feedback
• Representative tasks
• Constraints based approach