Human locomotion on inclined surfaces has been little studied. This work investigated uphill and downhill walking of urban pedestrians on slopes of up to 9 degrees. During a 3-month period, the gait characteristics of 1200 female and 1200 male pedestrians were recorded as they traversed a ramp of naturally varying slope at Sydney's Circular Quay. Walking speed, cadence and step length were determined for each subject, and average population gait parameters, for each ramp angle, were also calculated. The most significant finding was that the pedestrians' step length was decreased during ramp descent. Since theoretical analysis concludes that a reduction in step length produces a reduction in the friction demand, a shortening of the stride length is probably a means of counteracting the higher friction demand that would otherwise be required at heel strike during downhill walking.

Gender differences in knee motions during cutting did not contribute to the increased risk of noncontact ACL injury in women compared with men. The reasons for this increased incidence, therefore, remain unclear. The potential relationship between gender and other parameters linked to ACL injury such as joint geometry, ligament morphology, and physical conditioning requires further investigation.