Gait Training Flashcards
Rquirements for gait
Trunk control
LE strength
Five main functions of Gait
- Support head, arms, and trunk
- Maintain upright posture and balance
- Controls the foot to allow it to clear obstacles; allows gentle heel or toe landing
- Generates mechanical energy by concentric muscle contraction to initiate and maintain forward velocity
- Provides shock absorption and stability and decreases forward velocity
Gait and age
Irregular and variable until about age 7
Toddlers learn to walk and the elderly typically resemble one another
Functional tasks in gait
Forward progression
Balance
Support of the upright body
Gait cycle
Time interval or sequence of motion occurring between two consecutive initial contacts of the same foot
-Measured as stride length
Traditional gait cycle
1 cycle: Heel strike–>foot flat–> heel off–> toe off–>acceleration–>midswing–>deceleration
2 Phases: Stance 60% and Swing 40%
Normal Stride Length
70-82cm
Normal Step Length
35-41cm
Normal Base Width
5-10cm
Normal Foot angle
5-18 degrees
Fick angle
Normal Cadence
90-120 steps per minute
Normal Gait Speed
Approximate 1.4m/sec
Center of Gravity
Typically 5cm or 2 in anterior to the second sacral vertebrae
Wider stance lowers COG
Observation of gait
Anterior view- Frontal plane motion
Lateral view- Sagittal plane motion
Posterior view- Frontal plane motion
Footwear wear patterns
Objective Functional Tests
Timed up and go test
Performance oriented balance and mobility assessment
Standardized walking obstacle course
3 Main reasons for Gait deviations
- Pathology or injury to specific joint
- Compensations for injury or pathology in other joints on the same side
- Compensation for injury or pathology on the opposite limb
Specific factors leading to gait deviations
Pain/Discomfort during WB Muscle weakness/tone abnormalities Limitation of joint ROM Incoordination of movement Changes in bone or soft tissue
Ankylosis
Fusing/Stiffening of joint
Joint instability
More than hypermobility
Reduces shock absorption ability
Antalgic
Painful
Arthrogenic
Clumsy, hobbling due to stiffness
Joint origin
Hemiplegia
Decreased use of one side, paralysis
EX: vaulting on one side to clear weak side
Cerebral Palsy
Congenital Condition
Lower or upper or both extremities affected
Doesnt change over time
Parkinson’s Disease (basal ganglia)
Tremors, movement not smooth
Festinating Gait
Decreased strength, Decreased arm movement, decreased foot pickup, decreased trunk rotation
Tabes Dorsalis
Foot Condition
Inversion
Ataxia
Decreased control during walking
Huntington’s have poorly controlled movement
Aging
Downward Gaze
Widened
Decreased arm swing
Contracture
ll, mm, jt shortening
Prolonged time in shortened position
Equinus Gait
Toe Walking
Trendelenburg
Frontal Plane Problem
Problem w/ glute medius
Hip drops
Scissor Gait
Crossing midline
Hypertonic adductors
Drop Foot
Decreased tib anterior strength
Cant DF foot to move it for walking
Hip flexors deficiency
Used in swing phase, shortened limb during swing
Hip Abductors deficiency
Pelvic instability during stance
Hip extensors
Help w/ sagittal plane motion, propulse body over limb
Quadriceps
Hold LE stable during stance phase
Hamstrings
During midstance, eccentric control and isometric control
Dorsi Flexors weak
Foot drop, decreased clearance during swing
Plantar flexors weak
Decreased push off into swing
Impairment indicators for assistive device prescription
- Structural deformity/loss, injury, disease that decrease ability to WB
- Muscle weakness or paralysis
- Inadequate balance
Assistive devices can..
- Increase BOS and provide additional support
- Provide larger area for patient to shift COG without loss of balance
- Redistribute support within a wider BOS
Factors that may hinder patient learning
Pain
Fatigue
Ability to concentrate
Time of day
Devices for gait training
Parallel bars
Gait belt
Assistive devices
PTA
Landmarks for fitting walker
Ulnar styloid at handles
Landmarks for fitting crutches
45 degrees off foot about 6 inches
2-3 finger notch in armpit
Ulnar styloid on lower handle
Guard on which side?
Stronger side
Allows you to pull them onto the strong side
WBAT
50-100 percent BW
Limited only by patient tolerance
Gait pattern
Number of contacts (assistive device and lower extremities that move independently from another)
- 4 point
- 3 point
- 2 point
4 point gait pattern
Alternate pattern best simulates typical gait
Standard pattern is also an option
3 Point gait pattern
Tripod Drag-to
- Bilateral crutches then good leg then drag bad
- Move weaker first
2 Point gait pattern
Standard
-R crutch/R extremity—>L crutch/L extremity
Alternate
Swing to
Swing through
Prerequisites for ambulation aides
Ability to stand erect with head and neck upright
Ability to move LE forward with hip flexors
Sufficient strength and load tolerance to bear weight through LE
Strength of UE to push down and lift aide
Sufficient psychological/ mental preparation capacity
Sit to stand with crutches
Crutches on side of uninvolved LE
Push off chair with hand on involved side
Adjust crutch under involved side first
Sit to stand walker
Push off from stable surface
Get affected leg out of the way
Sit to stand cane
Push off from stable surface
Cane in affected hand
Turning with total hip replacement
Turn away from the side of the surgery because no IR is allowed
Turning normally
Towards strong side normally
Guarding for stairs
Infront for descent
Behind for ascent