The first edition of Kreighbaum and Barthels Biomechanics was the first textbook in this field to approach human movement qualitatively rather than quantitatively -- focusing on generalizable concepts that can be used by an instructor, coach, or exercise specialist to analyze several different sports activities with a common overall performance objective. The fourth edition retains this qualitative approach and expands it to include an even broader perspective for movement professionals in general. This includes teaching, athletic training, physical therapy, nursing, movement modification for the differently-abled, the older adult, and fitness and exercise programs.

The organization of Biomechanics into modules and chapters gives students a unified picture of anatomy and mechanics and their application to biological structure. Modules present basic biomechanical (anatomical or mechanical) concepts required for understanding and applying the groups of mechanically similar skills presented in the chapters that follow those modules. The modular organization also makes the book adaptable to courses of varying emphasis and topic sequence. Chapters and modules can be rearranged; at the beginning of each chapter and module is a list of those chapters and modules containing prerequisite information.