First published online March 31, 2007
Journal of Experimental Biology 210, 1378-1390 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
doi: 10.1242/jeb.001545
Mechanics of cutting maneuvers by ostriches (Struthio camelus)
Devin L. Jindrich1,*,
Nicola C. Smith2,
Karin Jespers2 and
Alan M. Wilson2,3
1 Department of Kinesiology, Physical Education Building East 107B, Arizona
State University, Tempe AZ, 85287-0404, USA
2 Structure and Motion Laboratory, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead
Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
3 Structure and Motion Laboratory, Institute of Orthopaedics and
Musculoskeletal Sciences, University College London, Royal National Orthopedic
Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4LP, UK

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Fig. 1. Experimental setup. (A) Plan view schematic of experimental arena.
Ostriches ran along a narrow trackway until encountering a barrier placed
directly beyond a force platform. Turns where ostriches stepped on the force
platform were recorded and analyzed. Three-dimensional positions of 13 points
on the body and legs were measured with a camera-based motion analysis system.
(B) Points placed on the left side of an ostrich (with the exception of Spine,
equivalent points were placed on the right side). Points were placed near
joint centers for the hip, knee, ankle and MTP. (C) Angle convention used to
analyze kinematic data. The X-axis was aligned axially along the
foreaft axis of the body and along leg segments. The Y-axis
was approximately normal to the plane of motion of the joint. The
Z-axis was normal to the X and Y axes. The two
ground points identified the force platform in the tracking system but were
not used for analysis.
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Fig. 2. Body rotation and deflection of the COM during the stance period of four
conditions, straight running steps with the right (SR; magenta line) and left
(SL; black line) legs, sidesteps with the right leg (TR; blue line) and
crossovers with the left leg (TL; green line). Both angles are expressed in
initial movement direction reference frame. Angles were scaled to percentage
of the stance period, and averaged. Vertical whiskers denote s.e.m. at each
phase of stance.
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Fig. 3. Relationships between turn magnitude (deflection; d)
kinematic and force parameters important for turning. All four conditions are
shown: straight running steps with the right (magenta triangles) and left
(black circles) legs, sidesteps with the right leg (blue plus signs) and
crossovers with the left leg (green crosses). Linear relationships from
least-squares fits are indicated by black lines, and r2
values indicated for each relationship.
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Fig. 4. Stick figure representation of representative (i.e. trials with deflections
closest to mean deflection for each turn type) trials for three types of
running turns. Magenta line denotes force vector (of arbitrary scale for
visualization). In Top View representation, only COM (black circle) and foot
(green point) are shown, and magenta line denotes average forces for all
trials in the indicated turn condition.
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Fig. 5. Forces and free moments for four different conditions. Colors, labels and
error bars as described in Fig.
2.
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Fig. 6. Comparison of foreaft forces generated during turning to forces
predicted by simple turning model. Sidesteps are plotted as blue plus signs
(+), crossovers as green crosses (x).
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Fig. 7. Body and joint angles during the stance period for four conditions studied.
Colors, labels and error bars as described in
Fig. 2. Asterisks denote
significant differences between kinematics observed during turning and
corresponding straight runs with the same legs. MTP,
metatarsalphalangeal.
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Fig. 8. Net torques about joint axes during the stance period four turning
conditions. Colors, labels and error bars as described in
Fig. 2. Descriptors in
parentheses denote direction of positive angle changes. MTP,
metatarsalphalangeal.
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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2007