Gait Cycle Flashcards
Describe the Muscle Activity Patterns of the Hip Flexors During Normal Gait?
Muscle Activity Patterns of the Hip Extensors During Normal Gait
On 3/8 gait cycles
Eccentric activity at Terminal swing to slow the leg. Concentric activity at Heel strike, Load response to move body forward.
The hip flexors are active concentrically during 2 of the 8 stages of the gait cycle. The concentric activity of the hip flexors initiates at preswing and ends right after acceleration phase helps to propel the limb forward.
Phase active: Toes off and Acceleration.
Note: Because the hip flexors are not needed to help slow the gait down during hip extension No eccentric activity of the hip flexors are involved.
Describe the muscle activity pattern of stance phase when descending stairs
Foot touches down
- Eccentric Plantar flexors lower foot down
- Concentric Hip and knee extensors
- Eccentric quadriceps control knee flexion moment
As the body lowers down, hip, knee, and ankle dorsiflexion rom is needed
Swing phase - descending stairs
- knee and hip flexors move hip forward and down
- Concentric hip flexors & knee flexors to move limb forward and down
- Eccentric knee extensor and ankle df activity to control knee flexion moment and plantar flexion moment
- tibialis anterior eccentric control plantarflexion
Heel Strike/Inital Contact
Characteristic, ROM, Muscle activation patterns
Hip ROM = 20 deg
Knee = 0-5 deg F
Ankle = 0 degree
Hip flexors = 0; Hip extensor = concentric
Quadriceps = concentric ; Hamstrings = eccentric
Ankle DF = concentric ; PF = 0
The foot position is important, muscle actions prepare for the heel to contact the ground for shock absorption. Begins when the heel makes contact with the ground to right before the forefoot touch down.
The concentric contraction of gluteus maximus helps to propell the body forward.
The quadriceps had brought the knee into extension while the hamstrings decelerate the limb
Initial Swing Phase
Characteristic, ROM, Muscle activation patterns
HIP, KNEE, ANKLE ROM = 15 deg HF, 60 KF, 5 PF
Hip flexors = concentric ; hip extensors = none
Knee extensors = none ; knee flexors = concentric
ankle DF = concentric . ; PF = none
The hip flexors are active to bring the limb forward.
During acceleration, the dorsiflexors need to contract concentrically to lift the toes up to clear the ground.
There are some hamstrings activity, but the 60 degrees flexion torque is mainly acheived the hip flexors.
deceleration phase / terminal swing?
Characteristic, ROM, Muscle activation patterns
HIP KNEE ANKLE ROM = 20 F, 0-5 F, 0
Hip extensor = eccentric; Hip flexors = none
Knee extensors = concentric ; knee flexors = eccentric
Ankle DF = concentric
* To decelerate the forward momentum of advancing limb to correctly place it on the ground. This phase starts when the swing limb is in front of the stance limb and ends when the heel touches the ground. (87-100% of GC)
The quadriceps contracts to bring knee into extension, while the hamstring contracts eccentrically to decelerate the leg.
Although the hip is slightly brought into extension, but it is still flexed at 20 degrees. At heel strike, the
Heel Off (terminal stance)
Characteristic, ROM, Muscle activation patterns
HIP ROM = 20 deg extension
KNEE ROM = 0 - 5 F
ANKLE = 10 deg DF
Hip Flexors = concentric ; Hip extensors = none
Quadriceps = none; Hamstrings = concentric (just a little)
Ankle DF = none; PF = concentric
This phase is characterized by the COG now is anterior to the stance foot or you could say the stance foot is behind the COG (as the other limb prepares for the heel strike)
Phase begins when the stance heel lifts off until the toes start to lift off.
Muscle action at the hip and knee is unremarkable, however, the gastroc contracts eccentrically to move the ankle into plantarflexion.
Ankle joint is at its greatest dorsiflexed position, 10 degrees dorsiflexion, including MTP extension of the 30 degrees.
Loading Response
Characteristic, ROM, Muscle activation patterns
To absorb shock while allowing for the forward momentum.
Hip ROM: 20 degrees
Knee ROM: 15 degrees
Ankle 5 degrees PF
Hip extensors = concentric; hipflexors =none
hamstrings = concentric; quadriceps = eccentric
Ankle DF = eccentric ; PF = none
COG/LOG creates flexion moment in the hip joint and the Glute max contracts concentrically to control flexion moment, and glute med contracts eccentrically to stabilize the pelvis
Muscle Activity of Quadriceps During Normal Gait
What stages of gait cycle is the quadriceps activity inhibited And why?
The quadriceps exhibit no activity in 3 out of 8 stages of the gait cycle.
Heel off (5 degree KF), toes off (40 deg KF), acceleration, (60 deg KF)
(knee extensor inhibition required for knee flexion to occur, to help swing foot forward)
Swing phase - ascending stairs
- Concentric hip flexors, knee flexors, and ankle DF to move limb to the next step
- Midswing: Tibialis Anterior maintains dorsiflexion
- Place foot down and Tibialis anterior eccentric lowering of foot
Describe the muscle activity pattern during normal gait when going up the stairs in stance phase
Stair climbing- going upstairs during stance phase
Forefoot touches the step above….
- Concentric hip extensors and knee extensors - move body up
- Eccentric contraction of hip abductors - as COG moves forward over stance leg
- Concentric ankle plantar flexors moves body up
Mistance
Characteristic, ROM, Muscle activation patterns
HIP ROM = 0
KNEE ROM = 0-5 F
Ankle = 5 deg DF
HIP flexors = zero; Hip extensors = zero . (abductor eccentric)
Knee Extensors = eccentric . ; Knee flexors = zero
Ankle DF = 0; Ankle PF= eccentric
In which phases of the gait cycle is the tibalis anterior active concentrially?
eccentrically?
Heel strike, Toes off, acceleration, mid swing and deceleration
load response
At which phases of the gait cycle is the hip flexors most active?
Toes off and acceleration
