2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Physiological and anthropological research of human locomotion with special reference to muscle elasticity in the lower leg extremities
| Project/Area Number |
20770201
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Applied anthropology
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| Research Institution | University of East Asia |
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Principal Investigator |
ABE Daijiro University of East Asia, 健康・スポーツ科学センター, 講師 (10368821)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2008 – 2009
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| Keywords | 歩行 / ランニング / ロコモーション / 機能的潜在性 / 生理的多型性 / 生理人類学 |
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| Research Abstract |
Bipedal locomotion can be achieved by human beings only. However, it has several critical issues. Gait balance is not stable due to a higher head position. Abdominal region always turns to the gait direction, meaning that a vital spot is exposed in front of the trunk. Back pain likely occurs due to the gravity. A functional potentiality is necessary for humans to acquire bipedal locomotion regardless of those issues. Recoil of the stored elastic energy and high efficiency for transferring gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy are the possible factors for explaining energy saving mechanisms during walking and running, respectively. However, these hypothesis have recently been attacked. For example, Fukunaga et al.(2001) showed that the Achilles tendon was stretched even during walking, suggesting that the recoil of the stored elastic energy served as an energy saving mechanism during walking. The present study examined muscle elasticity in the lower extremities during human locomotion for examining its physiological polymorphism and functional potentiality.
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