Gait & Gait Deviations

Terminology and Abnormal Gait

Steppage

• greater hip and knee flexion to clear foot during swing

  • Weak dorsiflexors (foot drop)

• weak or paralyzed dorsiflexors

Circumduction

• during swing, LE is abducted

• unequal leg lengths

• knee unable to flex during swing

Antalgic

• short step length on uninvolved side

• shortened swing time on the uninvolved side

• shortened SLS time on affected side

  • pain

Equinus

• Walking on the toes (heel doesn’t touch the ground).

• Tight/spastic calves (gastroc/soleus)

• Looks like the person is tiptoeing with each step.

Foot Slap

• A deviation during Initial Contact

• often indicating weak dorsiflexors.

Trendelenburg

• lateral pelvic tilt greater than 5 degrees

• compensated shift over stance leg

• gluteus medius gait

Festinating

• hurried, shuffling gait with short steps and a stooped posture

• muscle weakness or paralysis

• muscle tone changes

• Parkinsons

Vaulting

• plantar flexion of stance leg so swing leg can clear ground

  • unequal leg lengths

  • unable to flex knee

1

RLA: Initial Contact

Traditional: Heel Strike

2

RLA: Loading Response

Traditional: Foot Flat

3

RLA: Midstance

Traditional: Midstance

4

RLA: Terminal Stance

Traditional: Heel-off

5

RLA: Preswing

Traditional: Toe-off

1

RLA: Initial Swing

Traditional: Acceleration

2

RLA: Midswing

Traditional: Midswing

3

RLA: Terminal Swing

Traditional: Deceleration

RLA Terminology for: Heel Strike

Initial Contact

RLA Terminology for: Foot Flat

Loading Response

RLA Terminology: Midstance

Midstance

RLA Terminology for: Heel-off

Terminal Stance

RLA Terminology for: Toe-off

preswing

Traditional Terminology for: Initial Contact

Heel strike

Traditional Terminology for: Loading Response

Foot Flat

Traditional Response for: Terminal Stance

Heel-off

Traditional Terminology for: preswing

toe-off

RLA Terminology for: Acceleration

Initial Swing

RLA terminology: Midswing

Midswing

RLA Terminology for: Deceleration

Terminal Swing

Traditional Terminology for: Initial Swing

Acceleration

Traditional Terminology for: Midswing

Midswing

Traditional terminology for: Terminal Swing

Deceleration