The Male Pelvis Is Especially Adapted To Bipedal Locomotion

The article, "The Wonders of the Male Human Pelvis," discusses research analyzing and comparing 91 modern human pelvises (both men and women) and two Neanderthal pelvises, noting that the modern male pelvis has some unique features from the Neanderthal or female pelvises:

    Walking has been described as a series of controlled falls. When you walk, you destabilize your center of gravity, then interrupt an embarrassing trip to the ground by swinging your leg forward to catch yourself, and so on. During these controlled falls, your body drops downward, which both stresses your joints and requires energy to recover from. 

    Per the team, the unique architecture of the human male pelvis means we do a better job of dealing with both of these issues. Because our legs are positioned slightly more forward, our quads both absorb the shock of stepping and spring our bodies back upward. This more energy efficient gait may give men an advantage over long distances. Because they were constrained by the demands of childbirth, women’s pelvises weren’t able to develop these modifications, researchers say.