Novel proprioceptive action in stepping down.
A hypothesis is offered which extends the concept of proprioception to use information necessarily obtained during the first part of a complex motion (stepping down) to facilitate the second part. It is suggested that, when the leading foot of a normal person stepping down arrives at its destination, relevant proprioceptive information is used by the following foot in its descent, to render its movement more efficient. Analogy to another effort-minimizing proprioceptive mechanism and a possible mechanical manifestation of the hypothesis are given.
Wynchank
S
S
Medical Imaging Group, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Adams
L P
LP
Driver-Jowitt
J P
JP
Selby
P
P
Van Geems
B
B
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology