The Effects of Terrain on Long Bone Robusticity and Cross-Sectional Shape in Lower Limb Bones of Bovids, Neandertals, and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans

摘要: Theoretically, flexed joint postures on sloped surfaces should increase anteroposterior (AP) bending stresses in both human tibiae and bovid metacarpals; however, irregular terrain also introduce increases mediolateral (ML) distal limb bones via increased variation the orientation of ground reaction forces feet nonlinear locomotion. To investigate effects type lower leg bone cross-sectional geometry, this study uses Neandertal Upper Paleolithic samples plus a large comparative sample flat (85 species), mountainous (19 mixed (5 species) bovids to see what extent affects relative AP ML strength bones. Section moduli at midshaft were compared between groups occupying contrasting terrains. Results suggest that although locomotion routinely introduces elevated segments, perhaps with greater direction, signal for non-flat properties tibia is an overall slight due lateral buttressing by fibula.