Gait Flashcards
Key phases of the gait cycle for 1 leg
- Initial contact
- Stance phase
- Swing phase
Stride vs step
- Stride = initial contact to initial contact (same foot)
- Step = contact of one foot to contact of other (half a stride)
Different double limb stances of the gait cycle
- Initial double limb stance
- Terminal double limb stance (after 1 step)
- Double limb stance (after 1 stride)
Functions of the stance phase
- Shock absorption
- Stability
- Propulsion
Functions of the swing phase
- Ground clearance
- Step length
Sub-phases of the gait cycle
- Stance:
> Initial contact
> Loading response
> Mid-stance
> Terminal stance
> Pre-swing - Swing:
> Initial swing
> Mid-swing
> Terminal swing
Events of the gait cycle
- Stance:
> Initial contact
> Opposite toe off
> Heel rise
> Opposite initial contact - Swing:
> Toe off
> Feet adjacent
> Tibia verticle
4 rockers of gait
- Ankle rocker
- Heel rocker
- Forefoot rocker
- Toe rockers
Main shock absorber in the gait cycle
Knee
What is energy expended on in the gait cycle?
- Centre of mass control
- Selective muscular control
6 major displacements in the gait cycle
- Pelvic rotation
- Pelvic tilt
- Stance knee flexion
- Foot and ankle mechanisms
- Tibiofemoral angle
- Pelvic lateral displacement
Which muscles provide stability of the pelvis in the stance phase?
Tensor fascia lata
Which muscles provide hip flexion in the stance phase?
- Iliacus
- Psoas major
- Sartorius
- Rectus femoris
Which muscles provide hip extension in the stance phase?
- Semitendinosus
- Biceps femoris
- Gluteus maximus
- Adductor magnus
Which muscles provide knee flexion in the stance phase?
- Rectus femoris
- Vastus lateralis
- Vastus medialis
Which muscles provide ankle plantarflexion in the stance phase?
- Gastrocnemius
- Soleus
Which muscles provide ankle dorsiflexion in the stance phase?
- Tibialis anterior
- Extensor digitorum longus
- Gastrocnemius
- Soleus
Which muscles provide stability of the pelvis in the swing phase?
Tensor fascia lata
Which muscles provide hip flexion in the swing phase?
- Semitendinosus
- Biceps femoris
Which muscles provide knee flexion in the swing phase?
Sartorius
Which muscles provide knee extension in the swing phase?
- Rectus femoris
- Vastus lateralis
- Vastus medialis
Which muscles provide ankle plantarflexion in the swing phase?
- Gastrocnemius
- Soleus
Which muscles provide ankle dorsiflexion in the swing phase?
- Tibialis anterior
- Extensor digitorum longus
What influences gait?
- Bony skeleton
- Muscle function
- Other soft tissues
- Other organ systems
- Trauma
- Pain
- Inflammation
- Congenital anomaly
- Neurological function
- Weakness
- Psychology
Normal gait patterns
- Bow leg
- Toe walking
- Pes planus
- Metatarsus adductus
- Knock knee
- In-toe
- Out-toe
Abnormal gait patterns (and what causes them)
- Antalgic (pain)
- Circumduction (long leg)
- Spasticity/scissoring (neurological)
- Trendelenburg (weakness)
- High stepping (weakness)
- Ataxic (cerebellar)
- Clumsy (dyspraxia)
- Crouch gait (cerebral palsy)
- Bizarre (psychogenic)
What is antalgic gait?
Short stance phase compared to swing phase (limp)
What is circumduction gait?
Leg kept straight and swung around sideways instead of bending and moving forwards
What is spastic gait?
Walking with one stiff leg
What is ataxic gait?
Unstable, wobbling, almost falling over
What causes altered gait in infants/toddlers?
- Developmental dysplasia of hip (DDH)
- Toddler’s fracture
- Non-accidental injury
- Septic arthritis
- Acute myositis
What causes altered gait in children?
- Reactive/inflammatory arthritis
- Perthes disease
- Traction apophysitis
- Discitis
- Intra-abdominal pathology
What causes altered gait in adolescents?
- Slipped upper femoral epiphysis (SUFE)
- Osteochondritis dissecans
- Stress fractures
- Overuse syndromes
- Bony tumours
