Interpreting locomotor biomechanics from the morphology of human footprints

Journal of Human Evolution
Kevin G HatalaBrian G Richmond

Abstract

Fossil hominin footprints offer unique direct windows to the locomotor behaviors of our ancestors. These data could allow a clearer understanding of the evolution of human locomotion by circumventing issues associated with indirect interpretations of habitual locomotor patterns from fossil skeletal material. However, before we can use fossil hominin footprints to understand better the evolution of human locomotion, we must first develop an understanding of how locomotor biomechanics are preserved in, and can be inferred from, footprint morphologies. In this experimental study, 41 habitually barefoot modern humans created footprints under controlled conditions in which variables related to locomotor biomechanics could be quantified. Measurements of regional topography (depth) were taken from 3D models of those footprints, and principal components analysis was used to identify orthogonal axes that described the largest proportions of topographic variance within the human experimental sample. Linear mixed effects models were used to quantify the influences of biomechanical variables on the first five principal axes of footprint topographic variation, thus providing new information on the biomechanical variables most evidently expr...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 5, 2016·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Kevin G HatalaBrian G Richmond
Jul 13, 2016·Scientific Reports·Kevin G HatalaBrian G Richmond
Nov 13, 2019·Journal of Anatomy·E Catherine StricksonPeter L Falkingham
May 24, 2019·Scientific Reports·Brian VillmoareWilliam Jungers
May 14, 2018·Journal of Human Evolution·Kevin G HatalaStephen M Gatesy
May 17, 2021·Journal of Human Evolution·Christopher B RuffMichael Baksh

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