Hip extensor mechanics and the evolution of walking and climbing capabilities in humans, apes, and fossil hominins.

ABSTRACT: The evolutionary emergence of humans' remarkably economical walking gait remains a focus of research and debate, but experimentally validated approaches linking locomotor capability to postcranial anatomy are limited. In this study, we integrated 3D morphometrics of hominoid pelvic shape with experimental measurements of hip kinematics and kinetics during walking and climbing, hamstring activity, and passive range of hip extension in humans, apes, and other primates to assess arboreal-terrestrial trade-offs in ischium morphology among living taxa. We show that hamstring-powered hip extension during habitual walking and climbing in living apes and humans is strongly predicted, and likely constrained, by the relative length and orientation of the ischium. Ape pelves permit greater extensor m

SUBMITTER: Kozma EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5910817 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature