It pays to have a spring in your step.
In humans, a large portion of the mechanical work required for walking comes from muscle-tendons crossing the ankle joint. Elastic energy storage and return in the Achilles tendon during each step enhance the efficiency of ankle muscle-tendon mechanical work far beyond what is possible for work performed by knee and hip joint muscle-tendons.
Sawicki
Gregory S
GS
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Lewis
Cara L
CL
Ferris
Daniel P
DP
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D012371:Robotics; D013710:Tendons / Q000502:physiology; D016138:Walking