History of Biomechanics
The human body has evolved as a dynamic structure which is in motion for a significant part of its life. At the earliest of times man relied entirely on his legs to travel and in the face of adversity to stand and fight or to run and flee to safety.
Over time man has used his ingenuity to invent aids to motion and to take some of the stress and time out of reaching a destination, namely, the dugout, the sail, the wheel, the hot-air balloon, the stream engine, the internal combustion engine and so on.
The study of mechanics is an ancient science and has not only been concerned with inanimate objects but the study of the human body as a mechanical structure has attracted the attention of scientists such as Aristotle, Archimedes and Leonardo da Vinci and Sir Isaac Newton to name only a few.
Modern history of biomechanics
No one comprehensive approach or theory exists to explain the biomechanical movement of the foot and lower leg. The main theories are:
Each theory contributes a greater or lesser degree to the understanding of Biomechanical problems with different particular foot types and different problems experienced with the foot.