Some of the highest-paid professional athletes undergo 3-D Biomechanical testing. It allows scientists to understand what is anatomically optimal to perform certain sports movements, and it allows coaches to appreciate the ideal timing and positions that amateur athletes must achieve to perform at their best. But what exactly is this test, and how does it provide so much crucial information?

Biomechanics is the "sport science" field that applies the laws of mechanics (movements, body angles, joint positions, etc.), biomedical engineering (anatomical construction of joints, physiological design of muscle fibers, etc.) and physics (gravity, forces, velocities, etc.) to athletic performance. By breaking down a complex motion into hundreds of frames per second, 3-D analysis pinpoints the cause-effect relationships that define the optimal motion of athletes, in relation to their sport. Based on these facts, scientists can equip coaches, trainers and athletes with objective information on technique.

A 3-D biomechanist can diagnose improper timing of body segments, the result of which leads to inefficient power creation and potential for injury. He/she can unearth improper form, undetectable with the human eye or even 2-D video analysis. And then trainers can isolate physical weaknesses and provide programs to try and correct it all.

Luckily, technology can assist us in breaking down a sports motion that we, as coaches, can analyze, understand, and perfect going forward. And while the diagnostic technology was available to lacrosse, the information about it was not. That is, until Athletic Edge Lacrosse participated in a 3-D biomechanical research study on the lacrosse shot.