Morphological analysis of the hindlimb in apes and humans. II. Moment arms

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2006.00564.x
• Publication Date: 2006-05-26T11:19:22Z
• Authors: R. C. Payne; R. H. Crompton; K. Isler; R. Savage; E. E. Vereecke; M. M. Günther; S. K. S. Thorpe; K. D’Août
• Keywords: Gorilla; Hindlimb; Arboreal locomotion; Bonobo; Pan paniscus; Hominidae; Quadrupedalism; Knee flexion

Abstract Flexion/extension moment arms were obtained for the major muscles crossing hip, knee and ankle joints in orang‐utan, gibbon, gorilla (Eastern Western lowland) bonobo . Moment varied with joint motion generally longer proximal limb than distal muscles. The shape of arm curves (i.e. plots against angle) differed different hindlimb same muscle subjects (both ape species). Most increased increasing flexion, a finding which may be understood context employment flexed postures by most non‐human apes (except orang‐utans) during both terrestrial arboreal locomotion. When compared humans, great tended to have better designed moving through large ranges. This was particularly true pedal digital flexors orang‐utans. In gibbons, only lesser studied here, many measured relatively short those apes. study performed on small sample thus differences noted here warrant further investigation larger populations.