A mental model I employ is: from a frequency response perspective, humans are 30Hz high pass filters. That means we end up conducting more high-frequency force

A mental model I employ is: from a frequency response perspective, humans are 30Hz high pass filters. That means we end up conducting more high-frequency force (either by actively fighting it or by having it act against our inertia by transmitting thru our bodies), and this is work. In the lower frequencies, we can generally more actively participate and e.g. spread out the energy transfer over longer time periods to decrease instantaneous forces in joints/etc. Picture jumping off a 3 ft ledge, you can "eat" most of the impact with your legs bending, but some of the energy is going to affect you. The mental model is that it's the high-frequency content that human bodies don't handle well.