Terrestrial locomotion and metabolic demand: a historical review

Abstract

The studies of terrestrial locomotion, that is, to move using a solid substrate basis, brought out two grand energetics puzzles. One is in regard of the existence of preferential speeds in each stride (walk, trot, run), and whether these speeds are related to some economy in energy. The other is related to the very nature of the energy demand during locomotion, since it is assumed that kinetic and potential energies of the center of mass interchange into each other. Besides, in opposition to flight and to swim, there is no movement of the substrate itself. The present manuscript presents, under the bias of the author, a chronological review of 40 years of research in the area, covering topics regarding the two enigmas cited above.