Video-based optoelectronic stereophotogrammetric systems (OSSs) have recently been employed for kinematic measurement during impact tests with post mortem human surrogates (PMHSs). Application of this methodology requires specialized target hardware to be attached to anatomical structures of interest (e.g. individual ribs, vertebrae, head, pelvis, and shoulders). The hardware supports retroreflective spherical targets which are visible to the OSS. The recorded target motion is then transformed to the underlying anatomical structures to quantify the trajectories of individual bones throughout the impact event. This study presents the results of seven tests that were conducted to practically assess the efficacy of this emerging methodology for measuring anatomical kinematics during impact loading. A single dynamic test used an 8-camera 1000 Hz Vicon MXTM motion capture system and rigid structure to assess intrinsic optical error associated with the OSS, and also to evaluate the ability of the rigid body motion analysis to reproduce directly measured anatomical motion using remotely collected target data. The remaining six tests were conducted to assess the effect of compliance in the assumed rigid connection between the visible target hardware and underlying bone on the transformed displacements at a desired anatomical location (e.g. the center of a rib). A rigid test fixture was constructed to support a non- yielding 18 mm diameter steel rod simulating a segment of an anterior rib (rib). A retroreflective four-target cluster was then attached to the rib using the same hardware employed to optically measure anterior ribcage displacement in frontal sled tests with restrained PMHSs. During the tests a 16-camera 1000 Hz Vicon MXTM motion capture system was used to optically track the cluster motion which was then transformed to the center of the rib segment. Deviation between the transformed rib center and the actual rib center was determined for each test. In four of the tests the cluster was loaded laterally to its support structure using either 22.5 N or 43 N to simulate inertial loads acting on the structure under impact conditions. Two additional tests forced rotation between the cluster mounting hardware and the simulated rib. The results demonstrate robust performance of a novel methodology combining state-of-the-art optical technology and rigid body motion analysis to obtain kinematic measurement of anatomical structures within the human body which are not visible for direct measurement.