The evolution of bipedalism in hominins introduced a novel challenge: stabilizing the body and maintaining balance with just two limbs during walking and running. Kinesiological research has identified different strategies that humans use to maintain balance during locomotion, including using joints of the ankle to help keep the body positioned over the supporting foot. 

Our research focuses on the evolution of the ankle joint and its role in balance and stability. One component of this research uses experimental gait biomechanics methods to understand how humans use their ankles to maintain balance on complex terrains. The second component explores ankle joint morphology to identify functional adaptations related to bipedal stability. We are also examining trabecular bone morphology in the tarsal bones of non-human primates, fossil hominins, and modern humans to investigate the extent to which bipedal adaptations associated ankle stability can be determined from skeletal remains. 

Apolito, Z. M., Palmisano, K. G., & Holowka, N. B. (2025). The adaptive function of the human ankle joint complex during walking on uneven terrains with implications for hominin locomotion. Journal of Human Evolution, 203, 103678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2025.103678