Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 2 January 2004:
Vol. 303. no. 5654, pp. 80 - 83
DOI: 10.1126/science.1090704
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Partitioning the Energetics of Walking and Running: Swinging the Limbs Is Expensive

Richard L. Marsh,1* David J. Ellerby,1{dagger} Jennifer A. Carr,1 Havalee T. Henry,1 Cindy I. Buchanan2

Explaining the energetics of walking and running has been difficult because the distribution of energy use among individual muscles has not been known. We estimated energy use by measuring blood flow to the hindlimb muscles in guinea fowl. Blood flow to skeletal muscles is controlled locally and varies directly with metabolic rate. We estimate that the swing-phase muscles consume 26% of the energy used by the limbs and the stance-phase muscles consume the remaining 74%, independent of speed. Thus, contrary to some previous suggestions, swinging the limbs requires an appreciable fraction of the energy used during terrestrial legged locomotion. Models integrating the energetics and mechanics of running will benefit from more detailed information on the distribution of energy use by the muscles.

1 Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
2 Department of Physical Therapy, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.



{dagger} Present address: School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: r.marsh{at}neu.edu

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Mechanical efficiency of limb swing during walking and running in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).
J. Rubenson and R. L. Marsh (2009)
J Appl Physiol 106, 1618-1630
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Running biomechanics: shorter heels, better economy.
M. N. Scholz, M. F. Bobbert, A. J. van Soest, J. R. Clark, and J. van Heerden (2008)
J. Exp. Biol. 211, 3266-3271
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Integration within and between muscles during terrestrial locomotion: effects of incline and speed.
T. E. Higham and A. A. Biewener (2008)
J. Exp. Biol. 211, 2303-2316
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Biomechanical Energy Harvesting: Generating Electricity During Walking with Minimal User Effort.
J. M. Donelan, Q. Li, V. Naing, J. A. Hoffer, D. J. Weber, and A. D. Kuo (2008)
Science 319, 807-810
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Effects of independently altering body weight and body mass on the metabolic cost of running.
L. P. J. Teunissen, A. Grabowski, and R. Kram (2007)
J. Exp. Biol. 210, 4418-4427
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Reappraisal of the comparative cost of human locomotion using gait-specific allometric analyses.
J. Rubenson, D. B. Heliams, S. K. Maloney, P. C. Withers, D. G. Lloyd, and P. A. Fournier (2007)
J. Exp. Biol. 210, 3513-3524
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mechanical power and efficiency of level walking with different stride rates.
B. R. Umberger and P. E. Martin (2007)
J. Exp. Biol. 210, 3255-3265
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Differences in metabolic costs of terrestrial mobility in two closely related species of albatross.
A. P. Kabat, R. A. Phillips, J. P. Croxall, and P. J. Butler (2007)
J. Exp. Biol. 210, 2851-2858
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Energetic cost of producing cyclic muscle force, rather than work, to swing the human leg.
J. Doke and A. D. Kuo (2007)
J. Exp. Biol. 210, 2390-2398
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Variation in estradiol level affects cortical bone growth in response to mechanical loading in sheep.
M. J. Devlin and D. E. Lieberman (2007)
J. Exp. Biol. 210, 602-613
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Predicting the energy cost of terrestrial locomotion: a test of the LiMb model in humans and quadrupeds.
H. Pontzer (2007)
J. Exp. Biol. 210, 484-494
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Powering locomotion? It's a loaded question.
T. M. Griffin (2006)
J Appl Physiol 101, 1273-1274
   Full Text »    PDF »
Effects of load carrying on metabolic cost and hindlimb muscle dynamics in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).
C. P. McGowan, H. A. Duarte, J. B. Main, and A. A. Biewener (2006)
J Appl Physiol 101, 1060-1069
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Partitioning locomotor energy use among and within muscles Muscle blood flow as a measure of muscle oxygen consumption.
R. L. Marsh and D. J. Ellerby (2006)
J. Exp. Biol. 209, 2385-2394
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The cost of running uphill: linking organismal and muscle energy use in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).
J. Rubenson, H. T. Henry, P. M. Dimoulas, and R. L. Marsh (2006)
J. Exp. Biol. 209, 2395-2408
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The energetic costs of trunk and distal-limb loading during walking and running in guinea fowl Numida meleagris: I. Organismal metabolism and biomechanics.
R. L. Marsh, D. J. Ellerby, H. T. Henry, and J. Rubenson (2006)
J. Exp. Biol. 209, 2050-2063
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The energetic costs of trunk and distal-limb loading during walking and running in guinea fowl Numida meleagris: II. Muscle energy use as indicated by blood flow.
D. J. Ellerby and R. L. Marsh (2006)
J. Exp. Biol. 209, 2064-2075
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Effects of limb mass distribution on mechanical power outputs during quadrupedalism.
D. A. Raichlen (2006)
J. Exp. Biol. 209, 633-644
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A STEP FORWARD FOR LOCOMOTOR MECHANICS.
T. Roberts (2005)
J. Exp. Biol. 208, 4191-4192
   Full Text »    PDF »
Performance of guinea fowl Numida meleagris during jumping requires storage and release of elastic energy.
H. T. Henry, D. J. Ellerby, and R. L. Marsh (2005)
J. Exp. Biol. 208, 3293-3302
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Energy cost and muscular activity required for leg swing during walking.
J. S. Gottschall and R. Kram (2005)
J Appl Physiol 99, 23-30
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Metabolic energy and muscular activity required for leg swing in running.
J. R. Modica and R. Kram (2005)
J Appl Physiol 98, 2126-2131
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A new model predicting locomotor cost from limb length via force production.
H. Pontzer (2005)
J. Exp. Biol. 208, 1513-1524
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Blood flow in guinea fowl Numida meleagris as an indicator of energy expenditure by individual muscles during walking and running.
D. J Ellerby, H. T Henry, J. A Carr, C. I Buchanan, and R. L Marsh (2005)
J. Physiol. 564, 631-648
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
In vivo muscle function vs speed I. Muscle strain in relation to length change of the muscle-tendon unit.
D. F. Hoyt, S. J. Wickler, A. A. Biewener, E. A. Cogger, and K. L. De La Paz (2005)
J. Exp. Biol. 208, 1175-1190
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
In vivo muscle function vs speed II. Muscle function trotting up an incline.
S. J. Wickler, D. F. Hoyt, A. A. Biewener, E. A. Cogger, and K. L. De La Paz (2005)
J. Exp. Biol. 208, 1191-1200
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Independent metabolic costs of supporting body weight and accelerating body mass during walking.
A. Grabowski, C. T. Farley, and R. Kram (2005)
J Appl Physiol 98, 579-583
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mechanics and energetics of swinging the human leg.
J. Doke, J. M. Donelan, and A. D. Kuo (2005)
J. Exp. Biol. 208, 439-445
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
SWINGING IS MORE COSTLY THAN WE THOUGHT.
G. B. Gillis (2004)
J. Exp. Biol. 207, v
   Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)