KnotesFree Orthopaedic & FRCS notes, viva stations and higher order SBAs

Free body diagram

Must KnowApplied Basic SciencesthinKbox SBA

Special type of vector diagram used to study the magnitude and direction of the forces acting on a body.

Newton Laws of motion

  • Every body continue to be in rest or motion unless acted upon by external force
  • F=ma
  • For every force there is equal and opp force

What is weight?

  • Weight is a force
  • Mass x Gravity (Kg m/s2)= F (N)
  • Means a person of 70kg will have a weight of 700N
  • Should we care about these: NO

Levers

  • Machine designed to move objects
    • Bar
    • Fulcrum
  • 3 classes

Vectors

  • Diagrammatic representation of force
  • has magnitude and direction

Moments

  • Force applied at distance from pivot will cause segment to rotate
  • Distance is called moment arm
  • Rotational effect is called turning moment
  • Turning moment= F x moment arm
  • also called torque

F x d=Moment

  • d

  • F

Assumptions

  • 2d simplification of complex 3d structure
  • we are using vectors and moments
  • Body we draw is in equilibrium
  • Bones are rigid rods
  • Joints are frictionless hinges
  • no antagonistic muse
  • Force of muscle act through centre of muscle
  • muscle act only in tendon
  • JRF is compression only
  • wt of body act through centre of mass

Written/reviewed by Kishore Puthezhath

Professor of Orthopaedics and Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon

FRCS (Tr & Orth) revision resource

Reviewed: September 2026