Advances in Japanese anthropological studies on human and primate locomotion: biomechanical and functional anatomical perspectives

Abstract

Studies on the evolution of human bipedal locomotion from the perspectives of biomechanics and functional anatomy have played an important role in Japanese anthropology. This article reviews the history of such studies, focusing primarily on research carried out in Japan, with references to studies outside Japan only when necessary. Earlier reviews were provided by Okada (1983) and Kimura (1983); therefore, the present review mainly covers studies published after 1983. The studies reviewed in this article are organized into three main themes; 1) the acquisition and evolutionary process of human bipedalism, including investigations of bipedal walking in nonhuman primates; 2) biomechanical characteristics of primate quadrupedal locomotion, both on horizontal substrates and in three-dimensional arboreal environments; and 3) the biomechanics and the functional anatomy of the musculoskeletal system, including soft tissues such as muscles and ligaments, which have been more actively investigated since the 1980s. Progress in this field has been greatly facilitated by advances in measurement and analytical techniques. While these studies have substantially improved our understanding of primate locomotion, including that of humans, fundamental questions remain unresolved, particularly concerning the origin of human erect bipedalism.