How do animals like horses and cows not have more bone issues?

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It seems like their legs are too thin for the amount of weight that they need to support to stand, let alone run or even jump. How are broken legs not a much more common issue for animals that size when humans that are too tall have to use canes in their 30s?

In: Biology

2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The weight is distributed between the four legs, while humans need to support the entire weight on only two legs.

Also, the issue with humans isn’t on the legs, but on the spine. The lower part of the spine needs to stand more weight than it was designed to, keep the torso straight, and keep the center of gravity as close to the ground as possible (that’s why the spine is curved in a S shape). If you are too tall, you’ll have balance problems, and will probably experience back problems as you age, that’s what’s the cane for.

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