Gait Analysis

Question 1

Total amount of vertical displacement of the pelvis is

Answer 1

2 inches

Question 2

Contact of 1 foot until contact of other foot

Answer 2

Step length

Question 3

Contact of 1 foot until contact of same foot

Answer 3

Stride length

Question 4

Which components of gait are best observed in the sagittal plane?

Answer 4

Step length, stride length, hip/knee/ankle flexion and extension, pelvic rotation, arm swing, trunk flexion/extension

Question 5

Which components are best observed in the frontal plane?

Answer 5

Hip abduction/adduction, genu varus/valgus, Stance width, pelvic tilt, leg length discrepancy

Question 6

What is the average cadence for an adult?

Answer 6

100 to 116 steps per minute. Men fewer steps than women.

Question 7

Forward rotation of the pelvis in the horizontal plane is approximately __ degrees on the swing side.

Answer 7

8

Question 8

What is the hip flexion requirement for normal gait?

Answer 8

30° at mid swing to clear the foot

However, peak hip flexor activation is during pre-swing*

Question 9

What is the hip extension requirement for normal gait?

Answer 9

10° at terminal stance

Question 10

What is the knee flexion requirement for normal gait?

Answer 10

60° at initial swing and beginning of mid swing

Question 11

What is the knee extension requirement for normal gait?

Answer 11

0° at initial contact, mid stance and terminal swing

Question 12

What is the amount of ankle dorsiflexion required for normal gait?

Answer 12

10° at terminal stance

Question 13

What is the ankle plantar flexion required for normal gait?

Answer 13

25° at pre-swing

Question 14

Which muscles are most active during normal gait at initial contact?

Answer 14

Quads, hams, glute max, anterior tib

Hip ABductors to stabilize pelvis in the frontal plane

Question 15

What muscles fire at initial swing to flex the knee? Is it a Concentric or eccentric contraction?

Answer 15

Hamstrings; concentrically

Question 16

Which muscles decelerate the limb at terminal swing? Is it a concentric or eccentric contraction?

Answer 16

Hip extensors (glute max and hamstrings) ; Eccentrically

Question 17

When is the peak activity of the anterior tibialis during the gait cycle?

Answer 17

During initial contact; eccentrically

During mid swing; concentrically

**Initial contact has highest peak of activity

Question 18

Which muscle controls lateral tilt of the pelvis during the gait cycle?
Is this muscle more active in stance or swing?

Answer 18

Hip abductors/Glute Med

More active in Stance phase

Question 19

Type of gait deviations that results from pain. Characteristics include decrease joint range of motion, decreased speed, decreased stance time

Answer 19

Antalgic gait

Question 20

Gate deviation where there is a drop of contralateral hip in stance phase

Answer 20

Pelvic drop

*weakness of hip abductors

Question 21

Gait deviation where you see elevation of the iliac crest by contraction of quadratus lumborum

Answer 21

Hip hiking

Question 22

Characteristics of Genu Recurvatum are:

Answer 22

Excessive knee extension in stance

*Potential cause is quadriceps spasticity or weakness, plantar flexion contracture

Question 23

Potential causes of no heel off during terminal stance

Answer 23

Weak gastrocs/Soleus

Question 24

Your patient has a positive Trendelenburg gait pattern due to weakness of the Right gluteus medius. Clinically you would expect:

Answer 24

Left pelvic drop during stance phase on the right