Dataset Information

Is step width decoupled from pelvic motion in human evolution?

ABSTRACT: Humans are the only primate that walk bipedally with adducted hips, valgus knees, and swing-side pelvic drop. These characteristic frontal-plane aspects of bipedalism likely play a role in balance and energy minimization during walking. Understanding when and why these aspects of bipedalism evolved also requires an understanding of how each of these features are interrelated during walking. Here we investigated the relationship between step width, hip adduction, and pelvic list during bipedalism by altering step widths and pelvic motions in humans in ways that both mimic chimpanzee gait as well as an exaggerated human gait. Our results show that altering either step width or pelvic list to mimic those of chimpanzees affects hip adduction, but neither of these gait parameters dramatically affects the other in ways that lead to a chimpanzee-like gait. These results suggest that the evolution of valgus knees and narrow steps in humans may be decoupled from the evolution of the human-like pattern of pelvic list. While the origin of narrow steps in hominins may be linked to minimizing energetic cost of locomotion, the origin of the human-like pattern of pelvic list remains unresolved.

SUBMITTER: Kikel M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7210942 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Is step width decoupled from pelvic motion in human evolution?

Kikel Michelle M Gecelter Rachel R Thompson Nathan E NE

Scientific reports 20200508 1

Humans are the only primate that walk bipedally with adducted hips, valgus knees, and swing-side pelvic drop. These characteristic frontal-plane aspects of bipedalism likely play a role in balance and energy minimization during walking. Understanding when and why these aspects of bipedalism evolved also requires an understanding of how each of these features are interrelated during walking. Here we investigated the relationship between step width, hip adduction, and pelvic list during bipedalism ...[more]

PMID: 32385415

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Project description:BACKGROUND:There is scientific evidence that older adults aged 65 and over walk with increased step width variability which has been associated with risk of falling. However, there are presently no threshold levels that define the optimal reference range of step width variability. Thus, the purpose of our study was to estimate the optimal reference range for identifying older adults with normative and excessive step width variability. METHODS:We searched systematically the BMC, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, Frontiers, IEEE, PubMed, Scopus, SpringerLink, Web of Science, Wiley, and PROQUEST databases until September 2018, and included the studies that measured step width variability in both younger and older adults during walking at self-selected speed. Data were pooled in meta-analysis, and standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. A single-decision threshold method based on the Youden index, and a two-decision threshold method based on the uncertain interval method were used to identify the optimal threshold levels (PROSPERO registration: CRD42018107079). RESULTS:Ten studies were retrieved (older adults?=?304; younger adults?=?219). Step width variability was higher in older than in younger adults (SMD?=?1.15, 95% CI?=?0.60; 1.70; t?=?4.72, p?=?0.001). The single-decision method set the threshold level for excessive step width variability at 2.14?cm. For the two-decision method, step width variability values above the upper threshold level of 2.50?cm were considered excessive, while step width variability values below the lower threshold level of 1.97?cm were considered within the optimal reference range. CONCLUSION:Step width variability is higher in older adults than in younger adults, with step width variability values above the upper threshold level of 2.50?cm to be considered as excessive. This information could potentially impact rehabilitation technology design for devices targeting lateral stability during walking.

Dataset Information

Is step width decoupled from pelvic motion in human evolution?

Publications

Is step width decoupled from pelvic motion in human evolution?

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