Reevaluating the functional implications of Australopithecus afarensis navicular morphology

Prang, Thomas C.

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.05.008

Cited by 13 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…There are no significant differences among series or between sexes. Our results are similar to those found by other authors (Manners-Smith; Prang, 2016;Pablos et al), and they move away from extreme values such as those Manners-Smith (70 %) and Gomberg (1981)…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Morphological and Biomechanical Implications of Cuboid Facet of the Navicular Bone in the Gait

et al. 2019

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The cuboid facet of the navicular bone is an irregular flat surface, present in non-human primates and some human ancestors. In modern humans, it is not always present and it is described as an "occasional finding". To date, there is not enough data about its incidence in ancient and contemporary populations, nor a biomechanical explanation about its presence or absence. The aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of the cuboid facet in ancient and recent populations, its relationship with the dimensions of the midtarsal bones and its role in the biomechanics of the gait. 354 pairs of naviculars and other tarsal bones from historical and contemporary populations from Catalonia, Spain, have been studied. We used nine measurements applied to the talus, navicular, and cuboid to check its relationship with facet presence. To analyze biomechanical parameters of the facet, X-ray cinematography was used in living patients. The results showed that about 50 % of individuals developed this surface without differences about sex or series. We also observed larger sagittal lengths of the talar facet (LSAGTAL) in navicular bones with cuboid facet. No significant differences were found in the bones contact during any of the phases of the gait. After revising its presence in hominins and non-human primates, and its implication in the bipedalism and modern gait, we suggest that cuboid facet might be related with the size of talar facet and the position of the talonavicular joint. However, other factors such as geographical conditions, genetics and stressful activities probably affect its presence too.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Morphological and Biomechanical Implications of Cuboid Facet of the Navicular Bone in the Gait

et al. 2019

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“…Human-like morphologies do not necessarily signify a loss of midfoot mobility, as some have argued (Langdon et al, 1991;DeSilva, 2010;Ward et al, 2011;Proctor, 2013;Prang, 2016a).…”

Section: Midfoot Kinematics During Bipedal Walkingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some have argued for the presence of a longitudinal arch by 3.2 Ma in Australopithecus afarensis based on features such as fourth metatarsal torsion (Ward et al, 2011; but see Drapeau and Harmon, 2013) and joint articular surface orientation (DeSilva and Throckmorton, 2010;Prang, 2015), but others have pointed to the possession of a robust navicular tuberosity as evidence that Au. afarensis was supporting weight with its medial midfoot and thus lacked a medial arch (Sarmiento and Marcus, 2000;Harcourt-Smith and Aiello, 2004; but see Prang, 2016a). However, the position and mobility of the hallux of Au.…”

Section: Evolution Of the Longitudinal Arch Of The Footmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chimpanzee and human midfoot motion during bipedal walking and the evolution of the longitudinal arch of the foot

Holowka

O’Neill

Thompson

et al. 2017

Journal of Human Evolution

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The longitudinal arch of the human foot is commonly thought to reduce midfoot joint motion to convert the foot into a rigid lever during push off in bipedal walking. In contrast, African apes have been observed to exhibit midfoot dorsiflexion following heel lift during terrestrial locomotion, presumably due to their possession of highly mobile midfoot joints. This assumed dichotomy between human and African ape midfoot mobility has recently been questioned based on indirect assessments of in vivo midfoot motion, such as plantar pressure and cadaver studies; however, direct quantitative analyses of African ape midfoot kinematics during locomotion remain scarce. Here, we used high-speed motion capture to measure three-dimensional foot kinematics in two male chimpanzees and five male humans walking bipedally at similar dimensionless speeds. We analyzed 10 steps per chimpanzee subject and five steps per human subject, and compared ranges of midfoot motion between species over stance phase, as well as within double- and single-limb support periods. Contrary to expectations, humans used a greater average range of midfoot motion than chimpanzees over the full duration of stance. This difference was driven by humans' dramatic plantarflexion and adduction of the midfoot joints during the second double-limb support period, which likely helps the foot generate power during push off. However, chimpanzees did use slightly but significantly more midfoot dorsiflexion than humans in the single limb-support period, during which heel lift begins. These results indicate that both stiffness and mobility are important to longitudinal arch function, and that the human foot evolved to utilize both during push off in bipedal walking. Thus, the presence of human-like midfoot joint morphology in fossil hominins should not be taken as indicating foot rigidity, but may signify the evolution of pedal anatomy conferring enhanced push off mechanics.

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“…The navicular is also implicated as important in understanding foot function (Berillon, ; Clarke & Tobias, ; Harcourt‐Smith & Aiello, ; Morton, ; Peeters et al, ; Sarmiento & Marcus, ). However, the role of its morphology in identifying the presence of a longitudinal arch remains unclear (Prang, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiographic measurements of the talus and calcaneus in the adult pes planus foot type

Agoada

Kramer

2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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Objective A distinctive feature of the modern human foot is the presence of a medial longitudinal arch when weight‐bearing. Although the talus and calcaneus play a major role in the structure and function of the human foot, the association between the morphology of these bones and longitudinal arch height has not been fully investigated. A better understanding of this relationship may assist in the interpretation of pedal remains of fossil hominins, where features of the foot and ankle morphology have been described as providing evidence for the presence of a longitudinal arch. Methods For this study, weight‐bearing radiographs of 103 patients from an urban US Level 1 trauma center, taken as part of a clinical examination for medical evaluation, were selected. These radiographs were classified as to foot type by arch height as defined using the calcaneal inclination angle. From this group, 68 radiographs were suitable for linear and angular measurements of the talus and 74 of the calcaneus. The relationships between these measurements and arch height were explored using least squared linear regression analysis. Results The results demonstrate that angular measurements of the calcaneus (particularly those that reflect the relationship of the talar articular facets to each other and the tilt of the calcaneocuboid joint to the longitudinal axis of the calcaneus) are predictive of arch height (r2 = .29–.44 p ≤ .001). All angular measurements of the talus and all examined linear measurements of both the talus and calcaneus were not predictive of arch height. Discussion These results suggest that certain angular measurements of the calcaneus are associated with arch height in the modern human foot. While this information is useful in the interpretation of hominin pedal remains, the relationship of the morphology of these bones, as well as other bones of the foot, to arch height is complex, requiring further investigation.

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Reevaluating the functional implications of Australopithecus afarensis navicular morphology

Cited by 13 publications

References 88 publications

Morphological and Biomechanical Implications of Cuboid Facet of the Navicular Bone in the Gait

Morphological and Biomechanical Implications of Cuboid Facet of the Navicular Bone in the Gait

Chimpanzee and human midfoot motion during bipedal walking and the evolution of the longitudinal arch of the foot

Radiographic measurements of the talus and calcaneus in the adult pes planus foot type

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