Vierfüßler

Vierfüßler, literally “four-footed,” is a term used to describe organisms and postures that rely on four limbs for support and locomotion. In biology, it denotes quadrupedal locomotion, characteristic of many mammals such as dogs, horses, cattle, and many primates in certain contexts. Quadrupeds may be obligate, spending nearly all movement on four limbs, or facultative, occasionally adopting other postures (for example, standing or using two legs). The way the foot contacts the ground varies among quadrupeds: digitigrade species walk on their toes, plantigrade species walk with the sole of the foot flat on the ground, and unguligrade species walk on hooves.

In human movement and pedagogy, the term Vierfüßlerstand refers to the position on hands and knees, with the back held relatively straight. This stance is commonly used in infant development as crawling emerges, as well as in physical therapy, gymnastics, and fitness training as a starting position for various exercises and coordination drills. The pose is valued for promoting core stability, shoulder girdle control, and hip mobility while maintaining a relatively low center of gravity.

The concept also appears in robotics and computer simulations when describing four-legged locomotion, and in zoological discussions as a basic functional category for mammals and other tetrapods.