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.

A new device was designed to simulate a physiotherapist's assessment of spinal stiffness. The device applies an oscillating postero-anterior force over a spinous process and the force-displacement relation is measured. From these data the stiffness of the movement can be computed. The accuracy and repeatability of stiffness values were found to be high when an elastic beam was tested. Test-retest reliability in 11 human subjects was investigated and found to be good.

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