Comparison of human and ape leg muscles

Muscle Group

Ape

Humans

Anterior group

Additional muscle:
Abductor hallicus longus

Tibialis anterior
Extensor hallicus longus Extensor digitorum longus

Lateral Group

Peroneus longus and brevis.

Peroneus longus
Peroneus brevis.

Posterior group

Gastrocnemius is smaller

Superficial subgroup:
Gastrocnemius and soleus

Gastrocnemius is more muscular

Have Flexor digitorum Tibialis and Fibularis INSTEAD
NO Flexor digitorum longus
NO Flexor hallicus longus

Deep subgroup:
Popliteus
(which acts on the knee joint to flex and rotate it)
Flexor digitorum longus
Flexor hallicus longus
Tibialis posterior

Comparison of human and ape Knee joint in bipedal walking

Knee joint in Stance phase

Knee joint in Swing phase

Ape

Humans

Ape Knee joint is flexed

Human Knee joint remain flexed

Ape Knee joint is away from midline

Human Knee joint is near midline

Ape Knee joint remains anterior to Hip joint

Human Knee joint becomes posterior to hip joint

Ape knee joint passes around Ankle joint

Human Knee joint passes over Ankle joint

Mid-late extension of Human Knee joint during swing phase

maximises stride length

Comparison of Knee region in Hominoids

Structure

Patella

Ape:
Chimpanzee
(Pan
Troglodytes)
Apes have small
Patella

Fossil Hominid
Australopithecus

Humans

Functional
Correlation

Humans have large Patella

Size of patella
reflect size of
Quadriceps
Femoris

Inferior articular surfaces of

Human Distal Tibia faces inferior

Distal tibia effects

lateral movement
at Ankle joint

Distal tibia

Inferior articular
surface of Ape
Distal Tibia faces
inferior-lateral

Fibula

Ape Lateral
malleolus on
fibula is angled
laterally

Australopithecus
have some lateral
angulation of
malleolus

Human malleolus on fibula is

vertical

Fibula affects
lateral movement
at Ankle joint

Knee joint

- Ape knee joint

is small

- Australopithecus
Knee joint is small

- Human Knee joint is large

Size of Knee joint

reflect force
transfer

- Ape Knee joint

has circular
meniscus

- Australopithecus
Knee joint has
circular lateral
meniscus

- Ape Knee joint

is less congruent - Australopithecus

- Human Knee joint is more

congruent
- Human Knee joint has less
rotation

Meniscus profile
affect
flexibility/Stability

- Human Knee joint is close to

Position of Knee

- Ape Knee joint

has more
rotation

Knee joint is close

to midline

midline

joint affect
balance and
sideways
compensation

- Australopithecus
Ankle joint is small

- human Ankle joint is large

- Size of Ankle
joint reflects
force transfer

- Ape Knee joint

is away from
midline
Ankle joint

- Ape ankle joint

is small
- Ape inferior
articular surface
on ankle joint is
angled

- Australopithecus
inferior articular
surface on ankle
joint is horizontal

- ape inferior
articular surface
of malleolus is
angled

- Australopithecus
inferior articular
surface of
malleolus is
slightly angled

- Ape Ankle joint

is away from
- Australopithecus
midline
Ankle joint is close
to midline
- Ape Ankle
doesnt pass
behind Hip joint
in stance

- human articular surface of ankle

joint s horizontal
- human articular surface of
malleolus is vertical
- Human Ankle joint is close to
midline
- human Ankle joint passes behind
Hip joint in stance

- Profile of
articular surface
of Ankle joint
reflects
Stability/Mobility
- Position of
Ankle joint
reflects balance
and sideways
compensation
- Ankle joint
trajectory reflects
stride length and
toe off thrust