The study of the mechanical design of living organisms is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of biological research. Greater understanding of the ways in which an animal's body responds to mechanical stress has resulted in significant advances in the fields of zoology, physiology, and biomedical engineering. This volume is the first to provide a compilation of experimental protocols for researchers in these areas.

The emphasis of the book is on evaluating the performance of structures within the muscoloskeletal and circulatory systems in the context of their physical activities.