International Society of Biomechanics


The International Society of Biomechanics, commonly known as the ISB, is a society dedicated to promoting biomechanics in its various forms. It promotes the study of all areas of biomechanics at the international level, although special emphasis is given to the biomechanics of human movement. The Society encourages international contacts amongst scientists, promotes the dissemination of knowledge, and forms liaisons with national organizations. The Society's membership includes scientists from a variety of disciplines including anatomy, physiology, engineering, orthopedics, rehabilitation medicine, sport science and medicine, ergonomics, electro-physiological kinesiology and others.

History

The decision to establish the society was made at the 3rd International Seminar on Biomechanics held in Rome in 1971. This meeting was organized by the “Working Group on Biomechanics” which was part of the International Council of Sport and Physical Education, which itself was part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. At this meeting on September 29 it was voted to form the ISB at the next meeting. The 4th International Seminar on Biomechanics was held at Penn State University from August 26 until August 31, 1973. The constitution was voted on and approved on August 29. Two hundred and fifty of those present became charter members of the society.

Executive Council

The ISB is governed by its Executive Council. This council is elected every two years, by ballot, and is composed of officers and council members that represent countries from throughout the world and scientific areas that span all facets of biomechanics. The council, which meets annually, provides leadership for the continued development of the Society. Many on-going activities are performed by Council appointed sub-committees. The council also publishes a quarterly newsletter, known as ISB NOW, to inform members of Society developments and future events.

Congresses

The ISB was formed in 1973 and has held a conference every other year since then. The counting of the congress started with the 1st International Seminar on Biomechanics held in Zurich in 1967. The list of conferences and their geographical locations are given below.
Conference NumberYearLocation
I1967Zurich, Switzerland
II1969Eindhoven, Netherlands
III1971Rome, Italy
IV1973State College, USA
V1975Jyvaskyla, Finland
VI1977Copenhagen, Denmark
VII1979Warsaw, Poland
VIII1981Nagoya, Japan
IX1983Waterloo, Canada
X1985Umea, Sweden
XI1987Amsterdam, Netherlands
XII1989Los Angeles, USA
XIII1991Perth, Australia
XIV1993Paris, France
XV1995Jyvaskyla, Finland
XVI1997Tokyo, Japan
XVII1999Calgary, Canada
XVIII2001Zurich, Switzerland
XIX2003Dunedin, New Zealand
XX2005Cleveland, USA
XXI2007Taipei, Taiwan
XXII2009Cape Town, South Africa
XXIII2011Brussels, Belgium
XXIV2013Natal, Brazil
XXV2015Glasgow, Scotland

Wartenweiler Memorial Lecture

At each ISB Congress the Wartenweiler Memorial Lecture is presented. This lecture is named to honor Jurg Wartenweiler who was the first president of the ISB. He organized The First International Seminar on Biomechanics in Zürich, Switzerland in 1967. This conference eventually morphed into the biennial ISB Congresses. He was a faculty member at the ETH Zürich. Typically this lecture has been the first academic presentation of the conference. The list of Wartenweiler Memorial Lecturers and their topics follow.
YearSpeakerTopic
1977Giovanni A. CavagnaEfficiency and inefficiency of locomotion.
1979Marion WeissTasks and needs of rehabilitation engineering.
1981Phillip D. GollnickMuscle characteristics and biomechanics.
1983Uros StanicMovement and electrical stimulation.
1985Don B. ChaffinComputerized models for occupational biomechanics.
1987Savio WooAdvances in ligament research.
1989Benno NiggApproaches to load analysis for reduction of sports injuries.
1991James G. HayBiomechanics of long jumping.
1993Carlo A. De LucaLimitations of EMG in biomechanics research.
1995David A. WinterBiokinetics: The synergies of human movement.
1997V. Reggie EdgertonForce transmissions in mammalian skeletal muscles.
1999Andrew HuxleyCrossbridge action: Present views, prospects & unknowns.
2001Richard C. NelsonThe history of ISB.
2003Steven VogelTwist versus bend: Flexibility in the face of flow.
2005Bruce LatimerBiomechanics and evolution.
2007Kai-Nan AnApplication of medical imaging in biomechanics.
2009Patrick PrendergasMechanoregulation in the skeletal tissues.
2011Jan Pieter ClarysThe schizophrenic balance of old techniques and new technologies in body composition and their support in biomechanics, ergonomics and health care.
2013Miguel NicolelisBrain machine interfaces to restore mobility.

Muybridge Medal

At the ISB Congress every two years, the ISB presents the Muybridge Award. This award is the most prestigious award of the Society and is awarded for career achievements in biomechanics. The award is named after Eadward Muybridge, who was one of the first to use cinematography for the study of human and animal movement. The list of Muybridge Award winners and their lecture topics follow,
YearSpeakerTopic
1987Peter R. CavanaghStudies in the biomechanics of distance running and plantar pressure distribution.
1989Gunnar AnderssonSpine biomechanics.
1991R. McNeil Alexander
1993Malcolm H. PopeSpinal biomechanics.
1995Savio L-Y. WooBiomechanics of knee ligament healing, repair and reconstruction.
1997John PaulStrength requirements for internal and external prostheses.
1999Paavo KomiStretch-shortening cycle: a powerful model to study normal and fatigued muscle.
2001David WinterGait and balance - from the micro to the macro.
2003Tetsuo FukunagaEffects of elastic properties of muscle-tendon complex on sports performances.
2005Rik HuiskiesBone: The engineer's ultimate dream material
2007Peter HuijingEpimuscular myofascial force transmission: a historical review and implications for new research.
2009Mimi KoehlEffects of ambient wind or water flow on locomotion.
2011Roger EnokaMuscle fatigue – from motor units to clinical symptoms
2013Benno NiggFrom biomechanik to biomechanics to biomechanigg

Honorary Member

The ISB has a number of categories of membership including: student, charter, full, and emeritus. The remaining category is that of honorary member, which is restricted to a few individuals whose work has made outstanding contributions to the development of Biomechanics. The honorary membership currently consists of 16 individuals. Unfortunately some of these members have died. The other honorary members and their current academic affiliations are,
Many other biomechanics groups and societies are affiliate members of the ISB. These groups include:
The Society also supports technical and working groups, which are groups of individuals dedicated to enhancing knowledge of specialized areas within biomechanics. Currently active technical sections include,