Gait Flashcards
What is gait?
The mechanism by which the body is transported using coordinated movements of the major lower limb joints.
Energy efficient interactions of MSK and neurological symptoms.
What are the 5 attributes of normal gait?
- Stability in Stance
- Foot Clearance in Swing
- Pre-positioning for initial Contact
- Adequate Step Length
- Energy Conservation
Gait cycle?
This describes the period of time from the initial contact (often the heel) to the next initial contact on the same side.
What is the stance phase?
This is when the foot is on the floor and baring weight - 60% of the time.
- Initial contact (heel strike)
- Loading response
- Mid-stance (foot flat)
- Terminal stance (heel off)
- Pre-swing (tow off)
What is the swing phase?
This is when the foot in air and positioning - 40% of time.
- Initial swing
- Mid-swing
- Terminal swing
What happens to the lengths of the phases when you walk quicker?
Swing phase becomes longer and stance phase shorter.
Running is when swing phase becomes longer than stance phase - Get a float phase instead of a double support.
Define stride
Distance travelled in one gait cycle.
It is the distace from right initial contact to right inital contact,
Define step
Difference in one foot to the other (two steps per stride).
It is the distance from Right Initial Contact to Left Initial Contact.
Define Cadence
Number of steps per minute
What is kinematics?
Describes motion:
- Joint angles
- DIsplacements
- Velocities
- Accelerations
What is kinetics?
Describes the things that cause motion
- Forces
- Moments.
Kinetics
Muscles produce force to:
- Provide stability
- Propel body segments
Muscles work:
- Concentric (shortening) -acceleration / power generation
- Eccentric (lengthening - deceleration / power absorption
- Isometric (same length) - stability
What muscles help put foot down?
Anterior compartment muscles - Mostly Tibialis anterior
What muscles help you push off an go onto other leg?
Posterior compartment muscles - Gastrocnemius and Soleus
How is walking energy efficient?
- Minimise excursion of centre of of gravity
- Control momentum
- Transfer energy between body segments
- Phasic muscle action
Pathological gaits?
- Antalgic / Limp
- Trendelenburg / Waddling
- Spastic -Hemiplegic and Diplegic
- High steppage / Foot drop
- Parkinsonian / Festinant
- Ataxic / Cerebellar / Broad-based
Antalgic Gait?
- Limp
- Painful leg
- Short stance phase affected leg
- Lack body weight shift to affected leg
- Short swing phase unaffected
- Uneven
- Use walking stick in ‘opposite’ Hand. - Offload and prevent falling over.
Trendelenburg Gait?
Hip abductor weakness
- Pain
- Neurological damage
- Trauma (surgical)
Pelvis drops on unaffected side in stance phase.
Torso swings to affected side
Bilateral
Waddling.
Hemiplegic Gait
Hemi-Brain Injury
- Stroke
- Cerebral Palsy
- Trauma
Flexed upper limb
Extended lower limb
Short step unaffected leg
Circumduction affected leg
Diplegic gait
Neuromuscular disorders - Cerebral Palsy
Occurs in children, Gets worse as older and get heavier so more difficult to walk.
Scissoring
Tight Muscle groups - Psoas / Adductors / Hamstrings / Calf
Ankles plantar-flexed
Forefoot initial Contact
High steppage gait
Foot Drop
- Sciatica
- Common Peromeal n. Palsy
- Neuromuscular disorders
Toes hanging down
Excessive hip flexion affected side
Foot slap
Parkinsonian Gait
Neurological disease - Parkinson’s
Hard to initiate movement
Short step
Shuffling / ‘Festinant’
Forward flexed
No arm swing
Ataxic Gait
Cerebellum disorders
- Inherited
- Sensory
- Intoxication
Broad based
Reeling
Inco-ordinated
Arms balancing
‘Drunk’
