ESBiomech25 Congress in Zurich

History and goals of the ESB

The European Society of Biomechanics (ESB) was founded at a meeting of 20 scientists from 11 countries in Brussels on May 21, 1976. The participants decided to create a new society, the European Society of Biomechanics. Biomechanics was defined as “The study of forces acting on and generated within a body and of the effects of these forces on the tissues, fluids or materials used for diagnosis, treatment or research purposes”. The primary goal of the ESB was formulated as “To encourage, foster, promote and develop research, progress and information concerning the science of Biomechanics”.

Those present at this meeting were selected to be the Founding Members and a first Council was formed under the Presidency of Dr. John Scales. Statutes and By-laws were drafted under the directorship of the first Secretary-General, Dr. Franz Burny. The statutes were approved under French law and registered in Strasbourg. A first scientific meeting and General Assembly of the membership was held in Brussels in 1978. From 20 members in 1976, the society grew to about 100 in 1985 and about 350 in 1996.

The founding Fathers of our society were:

  1. Burny F. (BE)
  2. Calderale P.M. (IT)
  3. Donkerwolcke M. (BE)
  4. Ender G. (AT)
  5. Engelhardt A. (GE)
  6. Fernandez Fairen M. (SP)
  7. Halleux P. (BE)
  8. Hinsenkamp M. (BE)
  9. Huiskes R. (NE)
  10. Jørgensen T. (DK)
  11. Leray J. (FR)
  12. Lewillie L. (BE)
  13. Lorini G. (IT)
  14. Michaut E. (FR)
  15. Perren S. (CH)
  16. Quemada D. (FR)
  17. Scales J. (UK)
  18. Sedel L. (FR)
  19. Vayanos E.D. (GR)
  20. Wagner J. (BE)

Corporate members of the ESB:

AMTI force and motion logo
BERTEC logo
Beta CAE logo
BoB Biomechanics logo
Materialise logo
Nobel Biocare logo