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First published online May 18, 2006
Journal of Experimental Biology 209, 2143-2155 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02255

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The human gluteus maximus and its role in running

Daniel E. Lieberman^1,*, David A. Raichlen¹, Herman Pontzer¹, Dennis M. Bramble² and Elizabeth Cutright-Smith³

¹ Department of Anthropology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
² Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
³ Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona 1009 E. South Campus Drive PO Box 210030, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

View larger version (42K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1. Comparison of gluteus maximus anatomy in Pan troglodytes (A,B) and Homo sapiens (C,D). Note that the gluteus maximus in Pan has a cranial component, the gluteus maximus proprius (GMP), and a caudal component, the gluteus maximus ischiofemoralis (GMIF); humans have just the GMP, but it functions primarily like the ape GMIF. The GMP in humans is much thicker and larger than either portion of the GM in apes. The asterisk indicates the approximate location of GM electrodes used in this study.

View larger version (25K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2. Raw EMG traces of right-side gluteus maximus during walking (A; 1.5 m s-1) and running (B; 3.0 m s-1). Processed EMG is the filtered data (see text for details). Note that the scales for raw EMG, processed EMG and trunk pitch rate are different in walking compared to running. Note also that for both walking and running, forward trunk pitch rate is negative. Gray bars represent left foot contact and black bars represent right foot contact. Broken line indicates ipsilateral heel strike.

View larger version (11K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. (A) Normalized stance phase EMG magnitudes for the right-side gluteus maximus during level walking (filled circles), level running (filled squares), uphill walking (open circles) and uphill running (open squares). (B) Normalized swing phase EMG magnitudes during level walking (filled circles), level running (filled squares). Values are means ± 1 s.e.m.

View larger version (14K): [in a new window]   Fig. 4. (A) Normalized EMG magnitudes for the right-side gluteus maximus during walking (filled circles) and running (filled squares).(B) Trunk pitch rate (deg. s-1) versus normalized EMG magnitude during walking (filled circles) and running (filled squares). Values are means ± 1 s.e.m.

View larger version (16K): [in a new window]   Fig. 5. (A) Time of gluteus maximus onset during walking (closed circles) and running (closed squares) as a percentage of stride duration. (B) Time of maximum gluteus maximus magnitudes (closed symbols) and maximum trunk pitch velocities (open symbols) during walking (circles) and running (squares) as a percentage of stride duration. Heel strike is broken line (0%). Values are means ± 1 s.e.m.

View larger version (11K): [in a new window]   Fig. 6. (A) Normalized maximum magnitudes of gluteus maximus (closed symbols) and hamstrings (open symbols) during walking (circles) and running (squares). (B) Time of maximum magnitude of gluteus maximus (closed symbols) and hamstrings (open symbols) during walking (circles) and running (squares) trials. Heel strike is 0%. Values are means ± 1 s.e.m.

View larger version (14K): [in a new window]   Fig. 7. (A) Normalized maximum magnitudes of gluteus maximus during control (closed symbols) and `Groucho' (open symbols) walking (circles) and running (squares) trials. (B) Maximum trunk pitch velocity during control (closed symbols) and `Groucho' (open symbols) walking (circles) and running (squares) trials. (C) Maximum trunk pitch velocity versus normalized EMG magnitude during control (closed symbols) and `Groucho' (open symbols) walking (circles) and running (squares) trials. Values are means ± 1 s.e.m.