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Mechanics of limb protraction in cursorial animals
Reference
S20242
Principal Investigator / Supervisor
Professor Alan Wilson
Co-Investigators /
Co-Supervisors
Institution
Royal Veterinary College
Department
Veterinary Basic Sciences - London
Funding type
Research
Value (£)
167,011
Status
Completed
Type
Research Grant
Start date
01/06/2004
End date
31/08/2007
Duration
39 months
Abstract
Maximum gallop speed in animals is constrained by the need to generate limb force to resist gravity. As speed increases the time available for each limb to generate force drops so the peak force on each limb must rise. Maximum gallop speed is therefore dependant on the maximum force the limbs can withstand and the time taken to recover (protract) each limb for the subsequent stance phase. At top speed limb protraction can account for over 80 percent of the gait cycle so minimising the time taken is a key determinant of maximum stride frequency and how fast an animal can gallop. Mechanical adaptations for stance have been studied in detail but the mechanics of limb protraction have received minimal scientific attention. We wish to examine how horses and greyhounds (along with limited observations on cheetahs) deploy, modulate and control elastic mechanisms to minimise limb protraction time.
Summary
unavailable
Committee
Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics
X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority
X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative
X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme
X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme
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