Journal article
Postural adaptations may contribute to the unique locomotor energetics seen in hopping kangaroos
eLife, Vol.13, pp.1-57
2025
PMCID: PMC12707815
PMID: 41399103
Abstract
Hopping kangaroos exhibit remarkably little change in their rate of metabolic energy expenditure with locomotor speed compared to other running animals. This phenomenon may be related to greater elastic energy savings due to increasing tendon stress; however, the mechanisms which enable the rise in stress without additional muscle work remain poorly understood. In this study, we created a three-dimensional (3D) kangaroo musculoskeletal model, integrating 3D motion capture and force plate data, to analyse the kinematics and kinetics of hopping red and grey kangaroos. Using our model, we evaluated how body mass and speed influence (i) hindlimb posture, (ii) effective mechanical advantage (EMA), (iii) the associated tendon stress in the ankle extensors, and (iv) ankle work during hopping. We found that increasing ankle dorsiflexion and metatarsophalangeal plantarflexion likely played an important role in decreasing ankle EMA by altering both the muscle and external moment arms, which subsequently increased energy absorption and peak tendon stress at the ankle. Surprisingly, kangaroo hindlimb posture changes appeared to contribute to increased tendon stress, allowing more elastic energy storage at faster speeds. These posture-mediated increases in elastic energy storage and return could be a key factor enabling kangaroos to achieve energetic benefits at faster hopping speeds, but may limit the performance of large kangaroos due to the risk of tendon rupture.
Details
- Title
- Postural adaptations may contribute to the unique locomotor energetics seen in hopping kangaroos
- Authors
- Lauren Thornton - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringTaylor Dick - The University of QueenslandJohn R Hutchinson - Royal Veterinary CollegeGlen A Lichtwark - Queensland University of TechnologyCraig P McGowan - University of Southern CaliforniaJonas Rubenson - Pennsylvania State UniversityAlexis Wiktorowicz-Conroy - Royal Veterinary CollegeChristofer J Clemente - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Publication details
- eLife, Vol.13, pp.1-57
- Publisher
- eLife Sciences Publications Ltd.
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.7554/eLife.96437
- ISSN
- 2050-084X
- PMID
- 41399103; PMC12707815
- Copyright note
- © 2024, Thornton et al. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
- Data Availability
- Data and detailed analysis are available here https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.30282592.v1.
- Grants
- Grant note
- ISB Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics Technical Group Student Grant-in-Aid of Research / Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Grant (BB/F000863) / Journal of Experimental Biology Travelling Fellowship
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991192243302621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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