1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Functional and Comparative Anatomy of the Human Foot for the Adaptation to the Bipedalism
| Project/Area Number |
08640905
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
人類学(含生理人類学)
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba |
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Principal Investigator |
ADACHI Kazutaka University of Tsukuba, Institute of Health and Sport Science, Assistant Professor, 体育科学系, 講師 (70221041)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1997
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| Keywords | Bipedalism / Gait analysis / Pressure distribution / Foot skeleton / Moment of inertia of the area / Comparative anatomy |
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| Research Abstract |
This study was carried out to investigate, how far the human foot adapts to the bipedalism. The experiment was divided into two parts, that is , measuring the trajectory of the point of application and pressure distribution of the sole during walking and comparing the strength of the metatarsals of human, chimpanzee and orangutan with the CT image at the middle part of the metatarsals from the viewpoint of strength of material.
1.The trajectory moves quickly from the heel tothe part of the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal heads when the heel and then the whole sole contact to the floor. Then the trajectory slows down and turns to the big toe and the heel starts to rise up. Finally it goes out from the sole at the big toe or the second toe, or between them when toe leaves from the floor. For this motion the big toe must bear the large force, after the heel begins to rise up. In the investigation at the upright standing posture no such a large force affects to the big toe.
The Human metatarsals has thin compact bone at the diaphysis. But the dynamic strength of the 1st metatarsal exceeds any other metatarsal of the chimpanzee and orangutan. This comes from its large diameter. The rest four metatarsals of human are not so robust as the corresponding metatarsals of the primates, but have enough strength. It should be concluded that the human metatarsals have enough strength but their weight is cut down to reduce the moment of inertia of the foot. This means just the adaptation of the foot to the bipedal walking.
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