May the Force(s) be with You: The Utility of Using a Game-Based Approach to Teach Biomechanics

Figures & data

Figure 1. TGfU pedagogical approach.

Table 1. Example Probing Questions Prior to Throwing a Frisbee

Question	Rationale	Student Considerations
What do you need to know to begin?	Allows students to analyze what is required to throw the Frisbee effectively.	Spatial awareness, Frisbee mass, trajectory, velocity, distance traveled.
Why do you need to know this information?	Provides scope for critical movement analysis.	Speed and accuracy requirements, movement analysis.
What is the key idea?	Linked to outcome (i.e., to throw the Frisbee a set distance with a constant velocity and accuracy).	Determine variables that influence flight of Frisbee.

Table 2. Critical Features and Teaching Cues for Movement Analysis in Frisbee Throwing

Critical Feature	Possible Student Responses/Intervention Cues
Readiness	Athletic stance
Visual focus	Watch the trajectory and distance traveled
Intercept	Move and reach toward the Frisbee
Hand position	Thumbs in or gripping the Frisbee
Absorption	Give with your hands and arms

Figure 2. Lever systems and the human equivalents, where the left one is second class, the middle is first class, and the right is third class.

Figure 3. Negative launch angle (left), commencement of launch angle (middle), and moving into a positive launch angle (right).

Table 3. Examples for Teaching Biomechanical Concepts with Game-Based Learning and Activities

Biomechanical Concept	Description for Students	TGfU Activity	Learning Outcome
Linear motion	Application of linear motion, applied force, and resultant velocity	Game: Frisbee Bowling Students “bowl” the Frisbee to each other, varying force. Distance is then varied resulting in the students needing to consider if a greater force is needed for the Frisbee to travel a greater distance.	Coefficient of friction: velocity would vary depending on coefficient of friction (influence of frictional surfaces). Applied force would consequently vary depending on the coefficient of static and kinetic friction.
Newtonian physics (laws of motion)	Law of inertia	Game: Stop, Start, Go Set a Frisbee on a flat surface. Position the Frisbee so that it is completely motionless. Ask what will happen to the Frisbee. Ask what needs to happen for the Frisbee to move. Ask for a force to be applied in the horizontal direction, rolling the Frisbee along the floor. Ask what causes the Frisbee to stop.	A Frisbee at rest will tend to remain at rest, or a Frisbee in a straight line motion will continue to move in the same direction at the same speed unless acted on by an external force. When a Frisbee is thrown with a large spin, it has a large amount of angular momentum, overcoming gyroscopic inertia.
	Law of acceleration	Game: Frisball Students use a Frisbee to strike (hit) a sponge ball. Make a comparison, having the students lightly hit the ball first and then strike it with more force later. Measure how far the ball travels in each instance and mark it with a chalk or tape line. Compare the distances, pointing out that the harder swing pushed the ball much farther than the lighter one.	When an unbalanced force acts on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the force. Acceleration is directly proportional to the unbalanced force and is indirectly proportional to the mass of the object. Inversely proportional means that if one variable is multiplied by a number, the other variable must be divided by the same number. Now, it also seems reasonable that acceleration should be inversely proportional to the mass of the system (object). Relationship stated by Newton’s second law of motion: Force = Mass × Acceleration, or F = ma The forces that act on a Frisbee and the Frisbee’s rotational motion are what account for its stable linear trajectory in the air. The effects of the forces and the rotational motion permit a Frisbee to fly in the air instead of plummeting to the ground. The factors affecting the path of a projectile are height of release, angle of release, and velocity of release.
	Law of action/reaction	Game: 10 Passes The aim is for one team to pass the Frisbee 10 times without losing possession to gain a point. Each pass of the Frisbee demonstrates Newton’s third law (when a player passes the Frisbee, muscle force is applied to the Frisbee, and a force of equal and opposite magnitude is applied back).	For every action (force) there is an equal and opposite reaction (force). Action forces and reaction forces always come in pairs, equal in strength and opposite in direction.
Impulse	The change in momentum of an object. To change the momentum of an object, a force must be applied. The rate of change of momentum is equal to the net force acting on it.	Pivot and Pass In pairs, student 1 stands in a hoop and performs a sideways Frisbee throw to their partner who catches and returns the Frisbee and runs to a different position around the hoop. Student 1 pivots in the hoop and throws the Frisbee to their partner who is now in a different position. Apply different levels of force when throwing.	The effect of a force applied to the Frisbee depends on how long it acts, as well as how great the force is. Impulse is a measure of the force applied for a specific time. Impulse = force × time and has units Ns (Newton seconds). Throws performed from long distances require greater impulse to propel the Frisbee toward a partner.
Lever systems and mechanical advantage	The axis or fulcrum: the fixed joint/axis in the body that the lever moves around. The force (effort): the muscles that contract to generate the force to move the lever. The resistance: the bone of the body and whatever is being held or moved by the bone.	Leveraging the Lever Third-class levers allow you to do fast movements such as throwing, kicking, or swinging a tennis racket. When you kick a ball, you use the bones. Measure the distance you can throw a Frisbee from different positions.	A lever is a simple machine that consists of a rigid beam (e.g., an arm or leg bone in the body) that rotates around a fixed point (an axis or fulcrum). A lever rotates around an axis when force (or effort) is applied, causing the lever to move against resistance (or load). There are three classes of lever: first, second and third. A lever can be used to either multiply force and move a heavy resistance more easily or to produce range of motion and multiply speed.
Projectile	An instrument (equipment) which is thrown or jumped into the air.	Frisbee Golf Set up a course with a variety of hoops/Frisbee golf nets and a base from where players start (best played in an oval or open space). Divide the class into groups of up to four players and start each at a different hole. Players take turns attempting to get the Frisbee into the hoop/net.	Projectile motion is motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject to acceleration of gravity. Since a Frisbee is under the effects of a constant acceleration (–9.8 m/s²) in the vertical and 0 in the horizontal plane, its trajectory is predictable based on the magnitude and direction of its initial velocity at takeoff. Object is called a projectile and its path is called a trajectory.

Figure 4. Example of a deterministic model.