Footwear and Human Evolution

Humans have been barefoot, or worn simple, minimal footwear for most of our species’ existence. However, most people in industrialized countries wear cushioned, supportive and/or restrictive shoes during most daily activities. These features of modern shoes affect the natural motion of our feet, reduce our ability to sense the surfaces we walk on, and alter the forces we experience while walking and running. These factors may interrupt our bodies' naturally evolved biomechanics, with unknown consequences for our musculoskeletal health.

To investigate the potential consequences of modern footwear use, I have investigated:

• The effects of specific features of modern footwear on normal foot biomechanics.
• Minimally shod Tarahumara people from northwestern Mexico.
• Habitually barefoot Kalenjin-speaking people from western Kenya.

Photo: David Ramos ©

Biomechanics of the Longitudinal Arch

The spring in the longitudinal arch.

The longitudinal arch is a structure unique to the feet of humans, but we still do not fully understand its adaptive function in our species. Previous studies suggest the longitudinal arch behaves like a spring to store and release energy during running, and uses passive and active mechanisms to stiffen the foot during walking. We are conducting laboratory-based biomechanics research to test these ideas, with a specific focus on the following questions:

• Is longitudinal arch height related to the function of the foot during running?
• What is evolutionary basis for the human longitudinal arch?
  

Chimpanzee Locomotion and the Origins of Bipedalism

Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives, making them an excellent model for understanding the evolutionary origins of bipedalism. In collaboration with researchers from Stony Brook University, Midwestern University, and NYIT College of Osteopathic medicine, I am investigating chimpanzee locomotion to understand how:

• Chimpanzee feet are adapted for a diverse array of locomotor behaviors.
  
• Human and chimpanzee foot biomechanics differ during bipedal walking.
  
• The human foot evolved from a foot adapted for arboreal locomotion.
  

 For more information about this project, see:
http://primatelocomotion.org