10.5 Gait Overview

Question 1

How does knee osteoarthritis change gait mechanics? Why can this be dangerous in terms of cartilage damage?

Answer 1

• Reduced knee flexion
• Increased knee adduction in stance

Increased adduction means increased load on the medial knee, which means increased wear and tear on the medial condylar cartilage :(

Question 2

Why does the pelvis rotate in the transverse plane on the side of the leading limb during the walking gait cycle? Why is this so useful in terms of efficiency?

Answer 2

• Increases step length
• We take thousands of steps each day; if we can increase this by a little bit, we’ll increase efficiency massively.

Question 3

What changes do we see in the gait of someone with hip osteoarthritis?

Answer 3

• Poor pelvis control (little rotation; Trendelenburg gait)
• Decreased hip extension (smaller steps)
• More hip abduction during stance (?reduced adductor strength)

Question 4

What are the four classes of contracting muscles during the gait cycle? Give an example of each?

Answer 4

1. Preparatory (e.g. quadriceps contracts to get foot ready to meet floor)
2. Load Attenuating (e.g. vasti contract to absorb load)
3. Propulsive (e.g. foot plantarflexors push us forward)
4. Stabilising (e.g. quadriceps contract to pull tibia forward)

Question 5

Describe the movements of ankle dorsi/plantar flexors during gait

Answer 5

• Tib anterior eccentrically controls foot plantarflexion
• Soleus and gastroc propel us
• Fibularis brev/long stabilise foot during single limb support

Question 6

Describe the actions of knee flexors and extensors during gait

Answer 6

• Vasti contract to absorb load
• Hamstrings contract to stabilise knee (and facilitate toe clearance through knee flexion)

Question 7

Describe the actions of hip muscles during gait

Answer 7

• Gluteal muscles contract to stabilise pelvis (how does this relate to hip OA?)
• Hip flexors help to clearance