L: Walking and Gait Flashcards
What is gait?
Mechanism by which the body is transported using co-ordinated movements of the major lower limbs
Require energy-efficient interaction between musculoskeletal and neurological systems
What are the two phases of gait?
Stance phase: 60% cycle, time in which the foot is in contact with the ground
Swing phase: 40% cycle, time when foot is not in contact with the ground
What is the gait cycle?
Period of time from the initial contact to next initial contact on same side of body
What are 5 important things that are needed for normal gait?
- Stability in stance: transfer weight from one side of the body to the other
- Foot clearance during swing phase: Raise the foot off the ground as its brought forward
- Pre-positioning for initial contact: prepare the position of the foot for the next stance phase
- Adequate step length: lower limb brought forward by suitable distance during the swing phase, before making contact with the ground during the next stance phase
- Energy conservation: movements need to be energy efficient
What normally makes the first contact during normal gait?
Heel normally makes contact first
What is meant by period of double support?
The point in time when both feet are in contact with the ground
What happens to the period of double support as you being to walk faster/ start running?
Period of double support decreases in length
Period of double float–> both feet are off the ground
What happens to the normal gait cycle during sprinting?
Stance and swing phase reverse
40% stance phase
60% sprint phase
What are the different stages of the stance phase?
Initial contact- ‘heel strike’ heel makes initial contact
Loading response- Decceleration, knee and ankle joint absorb impact, heel rocks forward ready for whole foot impact
Mid-stance- Foot is flat in the ground, centre of gravity shifted from back to front, ready for forward propulsion
Terminal stance- Ankle is plantarflexed, heel of supporting leg raised from ground
Pre-swing- metotarsalphalangeal joints flex to give’ push off’ by toes
What are the different stages if the swing phase?
Initial swing- Knee flexes to enable foot to clear the ground
Mid-swing- Hip flexes, pelvis swings forward enable forward progression, dorsiflexion of the ankle to neutral position
Terminal swing- knee extends, foot brought close to the ground in preparation for heel strike
What is responsible for the forward progression?
Push off of the toes
Powerful plantarflexion of the ankle
Flexion of the hips
Swing movement of the pelvis
Define stride?
Distance from initial contact with one leg to the next initial contact with the same leg
Define step?
Distance from initial contact with one leg to initial contact with the other leg
Two steps with every stride
Define cadence?
Number of steps per minute
What is gait analysis? What are the elements?
Study of a person’s gait
Kinematics–> describe the motion’s –> joint angles, displacements, velocities and accelerations that take place during gait
Kinetics–> describe force and moments that cause motion
Measured at the hip, knee and ankle