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Walking on our heels confers advantages in fighting

Discussion in 'Biomechanics, Sports and Foot orthoses' started by NewsBot, Feb 15, 2017.

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  1. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1

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    Press Release:
    Flat-footed fighters: Heel-down posture in great apes and humans confers a fighting advantage
    https://unews.utah.edu/flat-footed-fighters/
     
  2. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    The effect of foot posture on capacity to apply free moments to the ground: implications for fighting performance in great apes.
    David R. Carrier, Christopher Cunningham.
    Biology Open, 2017; 6 (2): 269
     
  3. scotfoot

    scotfoot Well-Known Member

    An interesting paper . If you are standing facing an opponent , for example linemen at the line of scrimmage or competing sumo wrestlers , then it would appear that a plantargrade foot arrangement is the most effective base to adopt .Indeed , gorillas don't have a lot of choice in fighting style since the pelvis of such animals prevents the torquing of the body possible in some other apes and the development of the power necessary for decisive use of weaponry such as rocks or heavy sticks .

    Further on plantargrade and digitigrade foot /substrate contact , it is interesting that in humans the greatest amount of power that can be generated in a weapon such as a rock or club occurs when one foot is in a forward , plantargrade ,position ( the foot on the blocking side ) and the other foot is in a backward position and used in a twisting digitigrade fashion ( the foot of the power leg ) .
    It is therefore much easier to see a gibbon like phenotype ,with its upright terrestrial stance , less elongated pelvis ,and more adaptable foot /ground contact abilities , developing the ability to use weapons to lethal effect than it is to see a gorilla like ancestor developing such abilities .

    Such abilities would undoubtedly give animals in social groups much more to think about ,perhaps encouraging encephalization .

    Gerry
     
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