Obligate Bipedal Locomotion in the Modern Human

Several attributes are only found in primates, some of these are even more unique and noticeable in humans. These may not be limited to; energy-saving bipedal posture and locomotion, stable supine posture, complex manual skills and tool making abilities, hierarchical social structure and cultural organisation, augmented cranial capacity, a more developed frontal lobe, and language proficiency. From a Darwinian point of view, in erect posture and locomotion have evolved to free the hands for the purpose of tool-making. However, more recent theories suggested that bipedal locomotion was related to environmental factors which led to the advent of distinctive and remarkable anatomical features for a form of locomotion that is more energy-economic than quadrupedal locomotion in non-human primates and other members of the animal kingdom. These anatomic features and adaptations include; adjustments to the general body architectural plan, in addition to cranial and postcranial modifications. Postcranial modifications are debated to be the most critical for a stable and fuel-efficient upright walking, other anatomic adaptation were complimentary. The most significant of these anatomical changes took place post-cranially particularly at the level of the pelvis. These changes can be traced back to Australopithecus afarensis dating to at least 3.6 million years ago. The overall level-of-evidence of this article is estimated to be of level-2b, which is well-positioned within the pyramidal hierarchy of level-of-evidence