The lower limb and mechanics of walking in Australopithecus sediba

Science

Volumn 340, Issue 6129, 2013, Pages 1232999-

  DeSilva, Jeremy M ^a,b   Holt, Kenneth G ^c   Churchill, Steven E ^b,d   Carlson, Kristian J ^b,e   Walker, Christopher S ^d   Zipfel, Bernhard ^b   Berger, Lee R ^b  

^a Boston University   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND   (South Africa)

^c BOSTON UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^d DUKE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^e INDIANA UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

BIPEDALISM; HOMINID; KINEMATICS; SKELETON; TORQUE; FEMALE; LIMB; MECHANICS; WALKING;

ARTICLE; AUSTRALOPITHECUS SEDIBA; BODY POSTURE; FOOT; FOSSIL HOMININ; GAIT; KNEE; LEG; LOCOMOTION; MECHANICS; NONHUMAN; PRIORITY JOURNAL; TIBIA; WALKING; ANATOMY; ANIMAL EXPERIMENT; BODY WEIGHT; HOMINID; KINEMATICS;

AUSTRALOPITHECUS;

EID: 84876320082     PISSN: 00368075     EISSN: 10959203     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1126/science.1232999     Document Type: Article

References (53)

1. L. R. Berger et al., Australopithecus sediba: A new species of Homo-like australopith from South Africa. Science 328, 195 (2010). doi: 10.1126/science.1184944; pmid: 20378811
2. R. Pickering et al., Australopithecus sediba at 1.977 Ma and implications for the origins of the genus Homo. Science 333, 1421 (2011). doi: 10.1126/science.1203697; pmid: 21903808
3. T. L. Kivell, J. M. Kibii, S. E. Churchill, P. Schmid, L. R. Berger, Australopithecus sediba hand demonstrates mosaic evolution of locomotor and manipulative abilities. Science 333, 1411 (2011). doi: 10.1126/science.1202625; pmid: 21903806
4. S. E. Churchill et al., The upper limb of Australopithecus sediba. Science 340, 1233477 (2013). doi: 10.1126/science.1233477
5. P. Schmid et al., Mosaic morphology in the thorax of Australopithecus sediba. Science 340, 1234598 (2013). doi: 10.1126/science.1234598
6. S. Williams et al., The vertebral column of Australopithecus sediba. Science 340, 1232996 (2013). doi: 10.1126/science.1232996
7. B. Zipfel et al., The foot and ankle of Australopithecus sediba. Science 333, 1417 (2011). doi: 10.1126/science.1202703; pmid: 21903807
8. K. J. Carlson et al., The endocast of MH1, Australopithecus sediba . Science 333, 1402 (2011). doi: 10.1126/science.1203922; pmid: 21903804
9. J. M. Kibii et al., A partial pelvis of Australopithecus sediba. Science 333, 1407 (2011). doi: 10.1126/science.1202521; pmid: 21903805
10. D. J. de Ruiter et al., Mandibular remains support taxonomic validity of Australopithecus sediba. Science 340, 1232997 (2013). doi: 10.1126/science. 1232997
11. J. D. Irish, D. Guatelli-Steinberg, S. S. Legge, L. R. Berger, D. J. de Ruiter, Dental morphology and the phylogenetic "place" of Australopithecus sediba. Science 340, 1233062 (2013). doi: 10.1126/science. 1233062
12. W. E. H. Harcourt-Smith, L. C. Aiello, Fossils, feet and the evolution of human bipedal locomotion. J. Anat. 204, 403 (2004). doi: 10.1111/j.0021-8782. 2004.00296.x; pmid: 15198703
13. Y. Haile-Selassie et al., A new hominin foot from Ethiopia shows multiple Pliocene bipedal adaptations. Nature 483, 565 (2012). doi: 10.1038/nature10922; pmid: 22460901
14. Methods and background are available as supplementary materials on Science Online.
15. C. O. Lovejoy, R. S. Meindl, J. C. Ohman, K. G. Heiple, T. D. White, The Maka femur and its bearing on the antiquity of human walking: Applying contemporary concepts of morphogenesis to the human fossil record. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 119, 97 (2002). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.10111; pmid: 12237933
16. B. Asfaw, Proximal femur articulation in Pliocene hominids. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 68, 535 (1985). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330680409; pmid: 3936365
17. C. Tardieu, Development of the human hind limb and its importance for the evolution of bipedalism. Evol. Anthropol. 19, 174 (2010). doi: 10.1002/evan.20276
18. C. O. Lovejoy, The natural history of human gait and posture. Part 3. The knee. Gait Posture 25, 325 (2007). doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2006.05.001; pmid: 16766186
19. C. Tardieu et al., Relationship between formation of the femoral bicondylar angle and trochlear shape: Independence of diaphyseal and epiphyseal growth. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 130, 491 (2006). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20373; pmid: 16425192
20. J. A. Wanner, Variations in the anterior patellar groove of the human femur. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 47, 99 (1977). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330470117; pmid: 888940
21. W. E. Clark, Observations on the anatomy of the fossil Australopithecinae. J. Anat. 81, 300 (1947). pmid: 17105037
22. K. G. Heiple, C. O. Lovejoy, The distal femoral anatomy of Australopithecus. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 35, 75 (1971). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330350109; pmid: 5003051
23. C. Tardieu, Morpho-functional analysis of the articular surfaces of the knee-joint in primates, in Primate Evolutionary Biology, A. B. Chiarelli, R. S. Corruccini, Eds. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1981), pp. 68-80.
24. L. C. Aiello, M. C. Dean, An Introduction to Human Evolutionary Anatomy (Academic Press, London, 1990).
25. J. M. Organ, C. V. Ward, Contours of the hominoid lateral tibial condyle with implications for Australopithecus. J. Hum. Evol. 51, 113 (2006). doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.01.007; pmid: 16563467
26. B. Senut, C. Tardieu, Functional aspects of Plio-Pleistocene hominid limb bones: Implications for taxonomy and phylogeny, in Ancestors: The Hard Evidence, E. Delson, Ed. (Alan R. Liss, New York, 1985), pp. 193-201.
27. J. Dugan, T. W. Holliday, Utility of the lateral meniscal notch in distinguishing hominin taxa. J. Hum. Evol. 57, 773 (2009). doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2009.07.006; pmid: 19878967
28. Pronation of the foot is a triplanar motion (eversion, abduction, and dorsiflexion occurring simultaneously) and is a normal function of bipedal foot mechanics in order to absorb ground reaction forces and accommodate uneven substrates. It converts the foot from a rigid structure at heel strike to a more mobile one at midstance. Hyperpronation is poorly defined in a clinical sense, because there is no distinct cutoff between those that excessively pronate and those that do not. However, here we define it as continued pronation into the part of stance phase when the foot should be resupinating (usually at the later part of midstance and during the entire propulsive phase). Extended (timing-wise) pronation is caused both by the magnitude of pronation (in degrees) that occurs as a result of the large pronatory torque generated by contacting the ground on a varus heel and forefoot, and the timing of foot motion. Because of the excessive motion occurring at the subtalar, midtarsal, and tarsometatarsal joints, the foot fails to resupinate at late stance and pushoff.
29. D. L. Gebo, Plantigrady and foot adaptation in African apes: Implications for hominid origins. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 89, 29 (1992). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330890105; pmid: 1530061
30. H. Elftman, J. Manter, Chimpanzee and human feet in bipedal walking. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 20, 69 (1935). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330200109
31. E. Vereecke, K. D'AoÛt, D. De Clercq, L. Van Elsacker, P. Aerts, Dynamic plantar pressure distribution during terrestrial locomotion of bonobos (Pan paniscus). Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 120, 373 (2003). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.10163; pmid: 12627532
32. C. O. Lovejoy, B. Latimer, G. Suwa, B. Asfaw, T. D. White, Combining prehension and propulsion: The foot of Ardipithecus ramidus. Science 326, 72e1-e8 (2009).
33. K. D. Gross et al., Varus foot alignment and hip conditions in older adults. Arthritis Rheum. 56, 2993 (2007). doi: 10.1002/art.22850; pmid: 17763430
34. K. G. Holt, J. Hamill, Running injuries and treatment: A dynamic approach, in Rehabilitation of the Foot and Ankle, G. J. Sammarco, Ed. (Mosby, St. Louis, MO, 1995), pp. 241-258.
35. L. Wong, A. Hunt, J. Burns, J. Crosbie, Effect of foot morphology on center-of-pressure excursion during barefoot walking. J. Am. Podiatr. Med. Assoc. 98, 112 (2008). pmid: 18347119
36. T. C. Michaud, The foot: Hyperpronation and hypopronation, in Functional Soft-Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods, W. I. Hammer, Ed. (Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury, MA, 2005), pp. 399-426.
37. K. A. Kirby, Subtalar joint axis location and rotational equilibrium theory of foot function. J. Am. Podiatr. Med. Assoc. 91, 465 (2001). pmid: 11679628
38. M. B. Bennett, R. F. Ker, The mechanical properties of the human subcalcaneal fat pad in compression. J. Anat. 171, 131 (1990). pmid: 2081699
39. T. J. Ouzounian, M. J. Shereff, In vitro determination of midfoot motion. Foot Ankle 10, 140 (1989). doi: 10.1177/107110078901000305; pmid: 2613125
40. J. M. DeSilva, Revisiting the "midtarsal break." Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 141, 245 (2010). pmid: 19672845
41. C. V. Ward, W. H. Kimbel, D. C. Johanson, Complete fourth metatarsal and arches in the foot of Australopithecus afarensis. Science 331, 750 (2011). doi: 10.1126/science.1201463; pmid: 21311018
42. D. Tiberio, The effect of excessive subtalar joint pronation on patellofemoral mechanics: A theoretical model. J. Orthop. Sports Phys. Ther. 9, 160 (1987). pmid: 18797010
43. S. Khamis, Z. Yizhar, Effect of feet hyperpronation on pelvic alignment in a standing position. Gait Posture 25, 127 (2007). doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost. 2006.02.005; pmid: 16621569
44. C. M. Powers, R. Maffucci, S. Hampton, Rearfoot posture in subjects with patellofemoral pain. J. Orthop. Sports Phys. Ther. 22, 155 (1995). pmid: 8535473
45. B. A. Rothbart, L. Estabrook, Excessive pronation: A major biomechanical determinant in the development of chondromalacia and pelvic lists. J. Manipulative Physiol. Ther. 11, 373 (1988). pmid: 2976805
46. J. J. Eng, M. R. Pierrynowski, Evaluation of soft foot orthotics in the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome. Phys. Ther. 73, 62, discussion 68 (1993). pmid: 8421719
47. M. R. Bennett et al ., Early hominin foot morphology based on 1.5-million-year-old footprints from Ileret, Kenya. Science 323, 1197 (2009). doi: 10.1126/science.1168132; pmid: 19251625
48. R. H. Crompton et al., Human-like external function of the foot, and fully upright gait, confirmed in the 3.66 million year old Laetoli hominin footprints by topographic statistics, experimental footprint-formation and computer simulation. J. R. Soc. Interface 9, 707 (2012). doi: 10.1098/rsif.2011.0258; pmid: 21775326
49. B. Latimer, C. O. Lovejoy, Hallucal tarsometatarsal joint in Australopithecus afarensis . Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 82, 125 (1990). doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330820202; pmid: 2360609
50. H. M. McHenry, L. R. Berger, Body proportions of Australopithecus afarensis and A. africanus and the origin of the genus Homo. J. Hum. Evol. 35, 1 (1998). doi: 10.1006/jhev.1997.0197; pmid: 9680464
51. D. J. Green, A. D. Gordon, B. G. Richmond, Limb-size proportions in Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus africanus. J. Hum. Evol. 52, 187 (2007). doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.09.001; pmid: 17049965
52. J. T. Stern Jr., R. L. Susman, The locomotor anatomy of Australopithecus afarensis . Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 60, 279 (1983). doi: 10.1002/ajpa. 1330600302; pmid: 6405621
53. R. Wunderlich, thesis, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY (1999).