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Segment and joint angles of hind limb during bipedal and quadrupedal walking of the bonobo ( Pan paniscus )
Author(s) -
D'Août Kristiaan,
Aerts Peter,
De Clercq Dirk,
De Meester Koen,
Van Elsacker Linda
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.10112
Subject(s) - quadrupedalism , bipedalism , ankle , trunk , bent molecular geometry , anatomy , gait , thigh , physical medicine and rehabilitation , biology , medicine , engineering , structural engineering , ecology
We describe segment angles (trunk, thigh, shank, and foot) and joint angles (hip, knee, and ankle) for the hind limbs of bonobos walking bipedally (“bent‐hip bent‐knee walking,” 17 sequences) and quadrupedally (33 sequences). Data were based on video recordings (50 Hz) of nine subjects in a lateral view, walking at voluntary speed. The major differences between bipedal and quadrupedal walking are found in the trunk, thigh, and hip angles. During bipedal walking, the trunk is approximately 33–41° more erect than during quadrupedal locomotion, although it is considerably more bent forward than in normal human locomotion. Moreover, during bipedal walking, the hip has a smaller range of motion (by 12°) and is more extended (by 20–35°) than during quadrupedal walking. In general, angle profiles in bonobos are much more variable than in humans. Intralimb phase relationships of subsequent joint angles show that hip‐knee coordination is similar for bipedal and quadrupedal walking, and resembles the human pattern. The coordination between knee and ankle differs much more from the human pattern. Based on joint angles observed throughout stance phase and on the estimation of functional leg length, an efficient inverted pendulum mechanism is not expected in bonobos. Am J Phys Anthropol 119:37–51, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.