The organization of ligaments at the hip and knee joints, together with the shape of the articular surfaces, particularly at the knee, facilitates “locking” of these joints into position when standing, thereby reducing the muscular energy required to maintain a standing position.
A second major function of the lower limbs is to move the body through space. This involves the integration of movements at all joints in the lower limb to position the foot on the ground and to move the body over the foot.