gait Flashcards
homework - exam 2
What percentage of the gait cycle is stance and swing for one limb?
62.5% stance, 37.5% swing
What is the percentage of double support and single support when combining both limbs?
25% double support, 75% single support
During walking, how is body weight distributed on the foot?
Curved path from heel to big toe
What is the role of the big toe (hallux) in human locomotion?
Toe off occurs mainly from the big toe, which straightens the support path
What feature of the calcaneus contributes to its ability to absorb load?
Robust structure
What anatomical feature allows the human foot to act as a lever?
Well-defined longitudinal arch
What muscle is critical for efficient toe-off?
Flexor hallucis longus
What do the two sesamoid bones at the base of the big toe do?
Prop up the base of the big toe, preventing tendon compression
What are the components of the plantar muscles in the 3rd layer?
- Flexor digiti minimi brevis
- Adductor hallucis (transverse head)
- Adductor hallucis (oblique head)
- Flexor hallucis brevis
What role does the calcaneus play in the foot’s structure?
Hollowing out creates a ‘shelf’ for talus support
What is the ‘ballistic’ model of walking?
Walking modeled as an inverted pendulum
What factors contribute to the efficiency of human walking?
Use of gravity, pendulum motion, and limb rotation
What smooths out the walking motion despite the pendulum model?
Hips rotate around a vertical axis
What are the primary roles of lower limb muscles during gait?
- Provide forward and upward thrust just before toe-off (plantarflexors)
- Prevent lateral collapse during single-limb support (gluteal abductors)
- Smooth transitions and prevent joint buckling (hamstrings, gluteus maximus, quadriceps, dorsiflexors)
What is the function of hamstrings during gait?
Decelerate limb and stabilize knee at heel strike