The Human Gait | Exam 2

What two phases are in a single gait cycle

Stance phase and swing phase

What percentage of a single gait cycle is the stance phase?

60%

What percentage of a single gait cycle is the swing phase?

40%

What components are part of the stance phase?

• heel strike

• foot flat

• toe of

what components are part of the swing phase

• acceleration

• deceleration

Draw the gait cycle

Draw the graph for a normal gait cycle and its ground reaction forces. Label/explain the grab

What variables are most commonly used to describe gait patterns

• step length

• stride length

• velocity

• walking base

• cadence

• foot angle

what is step length

the distance between the point of one foot and the point of initial contact of the opposite foot.

In a normal gait, R and L have similar step length.

what is stride length

• distance between successive points of initial contact of the same foot

• L and R are normally equal

what is velocity

• product of cadence and step length

what are the units of velocity

distance/time

what does “free speed” mean

the individual’s comfortable walking speed

what is walking base

the sum of the side-to-side distances from the points of initial contact of the right and left feet

what is cadence

• walking rate

what are the units for cadence

• steps/min

what is foot angle (toe out)

an angle between the line of progression and a line drawn between the midpoints of the calcaneus and the second metatarsal head

external forces acting on a runner (draw the diagram)

The six determinants (features of the movement pattern that minimize displacement in the body’s center of gravity during gait)

1. pelvic rotation

2. lateral pelvic tilt

3. knee flexion in stance

4. knee ankle foot interactions

5. hip and knee interactions

6. physiological genu valgus

kinematic features that produce an efficient walking pattern

• double limb support

• pelvis rotated forward on the side

• mid-stance and mid-swing

• pelvis tilted downward laterally toward the swing limb

what happens during double limb support

• the center of gravity is at its lowest point

• lower extremity lengths are maximized 

what happens when the pelvis is rotated forward on the side

• the limb is in loading response

  • backward on the limb which is in pre-swing

what happens during mid-stance and mid-swing

• center of gravity is highest

• the stance limb’s hip, knee, and ankle are all flexed 5 degrees

what happens when the pelvis is tilted downward laterally toward the swing limb

• minimizes the center of gravity’s upward excursion

• keeps COG lower than if the individual were standing erect

COG during walking

• COG is propelled forward

• COG also moves laterally and vertically

• gait is most energy efficient when vertical and lateral displacement is minimized

What is Trendelenburg?

When the left hip drops, it’s a positive right trendelenburg sign

cause of trendelenburg?

• weakness of the abductor muscles (gluteus medius and minimus)

• lesion of superior gluteal nerve

What is steppage equines gait

• the walking gait of patients with foot drop

causes of steppage equines gait

• peroneal fibular nerve injury

• weakness of the tibialis anterior muscle

what is antalgic gait

• the way to avoid pain while walking