Our results indicated that high levels of locomotor versatility are common among hunter–gatherers, and that proficiency of running, climbing, swimming and diving is found in societies across the geographical and ecological breadth of the sample. Each locomotor modality was found to be relevant not only to food acquisition but also in leisure, ritual and violent conflict.

Our results also indicated the prevalence of both male and female engagement within each locomotor modality, with climbing being the only modality to possess a notable bias towards male engagement in a substantial proportion of societies.