Science of Walking

"The Science of Walking" recounts the story of the growing interest and investment of Western scholars, physicians, and writers in the scientific study of an activity that seems utterly trivial in its everyday performance and yet essential to our human nature: walking. Most people consider walking to be a natural and unremarkable activity of daily life, yet the mechanism of walking has long puzzled scientists and doctors. In "The Science of Walking", Andreas Mayer provides a history of investigations of the human gait that emerged at the intersection of a variety of disciplines, including physiology, neurology, orthopedic surgery, anthropology, and psychiatry.   A history that moves across national and disciplinary borders with ease, this book charts the rise of scientific endeavors to control and codify locomotion by analyzing their social, political, and aesthetic ramifications throughout the long nineteenth century.