Giovanni Cavagna

Giovanni Cavagna (born May 30, 1934)[1] is a physiologist and Emeritus Professor of Human Physiology at the University of Milan. His research focuses on muscle physiology, biomechanical principles of terrestrial locomotion in humans and other animals, from walking to running. He also studied specialized locomotion styles in Luo and Kikuyu women carrying heavy loads on their head with low metabolic cost [2], as well as locomotion during parabolic flight simulating Martian gravity. The New Scientist [3] and the Discover magazine [4] covered his discoveries about the mechanisms of imperfect pendular exchange between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy of the center of body mass. The New York Times reported about his work on backward running, which can potentially improve forward running by allowing greater and safer training. [5] For his work, he received a Honorary Medical Degree from the Université Catholique de Louvain in 1994 and the Feltrinelli Prize for Medicine from the Accademia dei Lincei in 2000[6] He has published several widely cited papers[7] and the book “Fundamentals of human physiology”. [8]

Giovanni Cavagna
Born	(1934-05-30) May 30, 1934 Milan, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Alma mater	University of Milan (MD) - 1959
Known for	Biomechanics of terrestrial locomotion
Awards	Feltrinelli Prize for Medicine (2000) Honorary Medical Degree from Université Catholique de Louvain (1994)
Scientific career
Fields	Physiology
Institutions	University of Milan

Selected publications

• Cavagna G, Dusman B, Margaria R (1968). "Positive work done by a previously stretched muscle". Journal of Applied Physiology. 24 (1): 21–32. doi:10.1152/jappl.1968.24.1.21.
• Cavagna GA, Heglund NC, Taylor CR (1977). "Mechanical work in terrestrial locomotion: two basic mechanisms for minimizing energy expenditure". American Journal of Physiology. 233 (5): R243-261. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.1977.233.5.R243.
• Cavagna GA, Thys H, Zamboni A (1976). "The sources of external work in level walking and running". The Journal of Physiology. 262 (3): 639–57.
• Maloiy GM, Heglund NC, Prager LM, Cavagna GA, Taylor CR (1986). "The sources of external work in level walking and running". Nature. 319 (6055): 668–669.
• Cavagna GA, Willems PA, Heglund NC (1998). "Walking on mars". Nature. 393 (6686): 636.
• Cavagna GA, Legramandi MA, La Torre A (2011). "Running Backwards: Soft Landing-Hard Takeoff, a Less Efficient Rebound". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 278 (1704): 339–346.

References

1. "Università degli Studi di Milano. Sezione di Fisiologia Umana". Retrieved 4 July 2020.
2. "New Scientist. Walk like a pendulum". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
3. "European Space Agency. Erasmus Experiment Archive". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
4. "Discover Magazine. The Physics of . . . Walking". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
5. "The New York Times. The Well Column". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
6. "Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei Premi Feltrinelli". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
7. "Giovanni A. Cavagna on Google Scholar". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
8. Giovanni Cavagna at Library of Congress Authorities