Foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in Hadza hunter-gatherers
Background: Investigations of running gait among barefoot and populations have revealed a diversity of foot strike behaviors, with some preferentially employing a rearfoot strike (RFS) as the foot touches down while others employ a midfoot strike (MFS) or forefoot strike (FFS). Here, we report foot...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2014-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Sport and Health Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254614000362 |
| _version_ | 1818112336440852480 |
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| author | Herman Pontzer Kelly Suchman David A. Raichlen Brian M. Wood Audax Z.P. Mabulla Frank W. Marlowe |
| author_facet | Herman Pontzer Kelly Suchman David A. Raichlen Brian M. Wood Audax Z.P. Mabulla Frank W. Marlowe |
| author_sort | Herman Pontzer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Investigations of running gait among barefoot and populations have revealed a diversity of foot strike behaviors, with some preferentially employing a rearfoot strike (RFS) as the foot touches down while others employ a midfoot strike (MFS) or forefoot strike (FFS). Here, we report foot strike behavior and joint angles among traditional Hadza hunter-gatherers living in Northern Tanzania.
Methods: Hadza adults (n = 26) and juveniles (n = 14) ran at a range of speeds (adults: mean 3.4 ± 0.7 m/s, juveniles: mean 3.2 ± 0.5 m/s) over an outdoor trackway while being recorded via high-speed digital video. Foot strike type (RFS, MFS, or FFS) and hind limb segment angles at foot strike were recorded.
Results: Hadza men preferentially employed MFS (86.7% of men), while Hadza women and juveniles preferentially employed RFS (90.9% and 85.7% of women and juveniles, respectively). No FFS was recorded. Speed, the presence of footwear (sandals vs. barefoot), and trial duration had no effect on foot strike type.
Conclusion: Unlike other habitually barefoot populations which prefer FFS while running, Hadza men preferred MFS, and Hadza women and juveniles preferred RFS. Sex and age differences in foot strike behavior among Hadza adults may reflect differences in running experience, with men learning to prefer MFS as they accumulate more running experience. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T03:17:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-91942f9c3c3e4a0782afdf82fae8cc5c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2095-2546 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T03:17:19Z |
| publishDate | 2014-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Sport and Health Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-91942f9c3c3e4a0782afdf82fae8cc5c2022-12-22T01:22:43ZengElsevierJournal of Sport and Health Science2095-25462014-06-01329510110.1016/j.jshs.2014.03.010Foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in Hadza hunter-gatherersHerman Pontzer0Kelly Suchman1David A. Raichlen2Brian M. Wood3Audax Z.P. Mabulla4Frank W. Marlowe5Department of Anthropology, Hunter College, New York, NY 10065, USAEvolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USASchool of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USADepartment of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USADepartment of Archeology, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaDepartment of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, UKBackground: Investigations of running gait among barefoot and populations have revealed a diversity of foot strike behaviors, with some preferentially employing a rearfoot strike (RFS) as the foot touches down while others employ a midfoot strike (MFS) or forefoot strike (FFS). Here, we report foot strike behavior and joint angles among traditional Hadza hunter-gatherers living in Northern Tanzania. Methods: Hadza adults (n = 26) and juveniles (n = 14) ran at a range of speeds (adults: mean 3.4 ± 0.7 m/s, juveniles: mean 3.2 ± 0.5 m/s) over an outdoor trackway while being recorded via high-speed digital video. Foot strike type (RFS, MFS, or FFS) and hind limb segment angles at foot strike were recorded. Results: Hadza men preferentially employed MFS (86.7% of men), while Hadza women and juveniles preferentially employed RFS (90.9% and 85.7% of women and juveniles, respectively). No FFS was recorded. Speed, the presence of footwear (sandals vs. barefoot), and trial duration had no effect on foot strike type. Conclusion: Unlike other habitually barefoot populations which prefer FFS while running, Hadza men preferred MFS, and Hadza women and juveniles preferred RFS. Sex and age differences in foot strike behavior among Hadza adults may reflect differences in running experience, with men learning to prefer MFS as they accumulate more running experience.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254614000362BarefootBiomechanicsFoot strikeForagingRunning |
| spellingShingle | Herman Pontzer Kelly Suchman David A. Raichlen Brian M. Wood Audax Z.P. Mabulla Frank W. Marlowe Foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in Hadza hunter-gatherers Journal of Sport and Health Science Barefoot Biomechanics Foot strike Foraging Running |
| title | Foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in Hadza hunter-gatherers |
| title_full | Foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in Hadza hunter-gatherers |
| title_fullStr | Foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in Hadza hunter-gatherers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in Hadza hunter-gatherers |
| title_short | Foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in Hadza hunter-gatherers |
| title_sort | foot strike patterns and hind limb joint angles during running in hadza hunter gatherers |
| topic | Barefoot Biomechanics Foot strike Foraging Running |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254614000362 |
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