Terminology

[sunal]

I was reading a science fiction book when I came across some words describing a joint system that left me confused. The book, Drakon by S. M. Stirling, was about a post-human species, derived from us but engineered to be stronger, faster, smarter, etc. On page 355, it describes the skeleton of a specimen of this species as having "flanged bones, the high-leverage double-acting joints, the too-large nasal and ear cavities...". I can understand the bones and cavities as contributing to enhanced strength and senses respectively, but I am confused on the joints. The 'double-acting" part I figure is that they can bend their joints, or at least some of them, in directions that we can not, which may contribute to enhanced agility. The "high-leverage" part, however, is still confusing. What does leverage mean in relation to the joints? What does high mean in the joints? Please clarify. Thanks for your time.

[Karl-Erik Karlsen]

Hehe. Well, you would get a higher amount of leverage in your biceps if your tendon attaches further out on your forearm, for example.
Imagine a bridge that can be opened and lowered. If the cables lifting it up attaches all the way at the end of the bridge, that leverage is better than if the cables were attached closer to the hinge.

[sunal]

So with this configuration, you could, theoretically, achieve greater strength from the higher leverage and agility from the double acting joints?