This document provides an overview of gait, including: - Definitions of gait from physiological and mechanical perspectives - The four main criteria for walking: equilibrium, locomotion, musculoskeletal integrity, and neurological control - The forces that contribute to gait: muscular, gravitational, and momentum - Stages of the gait cycle including stance phase (initial contact, loading response, mid-stance, terminal stance) and swing phase (pre-swing, initial swing, mid-swing, terminal swing) - Types of abnormal gait such as antalgic, arthrogenic, ataxic, hemiplegic/hemiparetic, and factors that can lead to abnormal gait like pain

1. Gait

2. Learning outcomes
•Introduction to gait.
•Criteria used in gait.
•Forces for gait.
•Gait cycle.
•Abnormal gait.
•Gait correction.
• Factors leading to abnormal gait.

3. Introduction to gait
• Gait is the manner of walking
or
• Gait Is the medical term which used to
describe human locomotion, or the way that
we walk interestingly.
• Every individual has a unique gait pattern

4. Definition:
• Physiological Definition:
• It is a mechanism which depends upon
closely integrated action of the subjects,
bones, muscles and nervous system
(including peripheral and central nervous
system)
• The degree of integration determines the
different gait patterns. Any defect of any part
of them or all of them will lead to
pathological gait.

5. • Mechanical definition;
• It is a form of bipedal locomotion as there is
an alternating action between lower
extremities.
• One leg is in touch with the ground for
restraining, supporting and propulsion. The
other leg is in swing phase for creating a new
step forward.
• So gait is the result of a series of rhythmic
alternating movement of arms, legs, and trunk
which create forward movement of the body

6. Criteria used for gait
• There are (4) major criteria essential to
walking.
Equilibrium:
• The ability to assume an upright posture and
maintain balance.
Locomotion:
• The ability to initiate and maintain rhythmic
stepping
Musculoskeletal Integrity:
• Normal bone, joint, and muscle function
Neurological Control:
• Must receive and send messages telling the
body how and when to move.

7. FORCES FOR GAIT
I. Muscular force.
II. Gravitational force.
III. Forces of momentum

8. Gait cycle
• The gait cycle is used to describe the
complex activity of walking, This cycle
describes the motions from initial
placement of the supporting heel on the
ground to when the same heel contacts the
ground for a second time.

9. Types of gait
• Stance Phase:
• Is defined as the interval in which the
foot is on the ground {contact with
ground}
• Stance Phase is divided into:
• 1)Heel strike to foot flat
• 2) Foot flat through mid-stance
• 3) Mid-stance through Heel off
• 4) Heel off to Toe off.

10. The stance period consists of
the first five phases:
1. initial contact,(heel strike)
2. loading response,(foot flat)
3. mid-stance .
4. terminal stance.{heel rise}and {toe off}.

11. 1) Initial Contact
• Initial contact. occurs the foot of the
leading lower limb touches the ground
and represents the beginning of the
stance phase. Heel strike and heel
contact serve as poor descriptors of this
period since there are many
circumstance

12. 2) Loading Response
• The loading response phase constitutes the
period of initial double-limb support.
• During loading response, the foot comes in full
• contact with the floor, and body weight is fully
transferred onto the stance limb
• The initial double-support stance period
occasionally is referred to as initial stance.

13. 3) Mid-stance
• Mid-stance represents the first half of single support, It
begins when the contra-lateral foot leaves the ground
and continues as the body weight travels along the
length of the foot until it is aligned over the forefoot.
The descending initial peak of the vertical force graph
reveals [disclose] the period of mid-stance

14. 4)Terminal Stance
• Terminal stance constitutes the second half of single-limb
support. It begins with heel rise and ends when the contra-lateral
foot contacts the ground
• During this phase, body weight moves ahead of the forefoot.
• The term heel off, is the point during the stance phase when the
heel leaves the ground.
• The ascending second peak of the vertical force graph
demonstrates the period of terminal stance.

15. 2) Swing Phase
• Is defined as the interval in which the foot
is not in contact with the ground.
• Denotes the time when the foot is in the
air.
• The swing phase could be defined as the
phase when all portions of the foot are in
forward motion.

16. Swing is divided into two phases:
• Acceleration to mid-swing Mid-swing to
deceleration.
• The swing period primarily is divided into
three phases: initial swing, mid-swing and
terminal swing. Pre-swing, however, prepares
the limb for swing advancement and in that
sense could be considered a component of
swing phase.

17. Pre-swing
• Pre-swing , It begins when the contra-lateral foot contacts the
ground and ends with ipsilateral toe off.
• During this period, the stance limb is unloaded and body
weight is transferred onto the contra-lateral limb.
• The descending portion of the second peak of the vertical
force graph demonstrates the period of pre-swing.

18. b) Initial Swing
• The initial one-third of the swing period, from the 62- to 75-
percent periods of the gait cycle (6), is spent in initial swing. It
begins the moment the foot leaves the ground and continues
until maximum knee flexion occurs, when the swinging
extremity is directly under the body and directly opposite the
stance limb.

19. d) Terminal Swing
• In the final phase of terminal swing , the tibia
passes beyond perpendicular, and the knee fully
extends in preparation for heel contact.

20. c) Mid-swing
• Mid-swing occurs in the second third of
the swing period,
• This phase begins following maximum
knee flexion and ends when the tibia is
in a vertical position.

21. Abnormal gait
1. Antalgic or painful gait is result of injury
to the pelvis, hip, knee, ankle, or foot.
2. Arthrogenic (Stiff Hip or Knee) Gait Is the results
from stiffness, laxity,deformity,or if knee or hip is
fused.
3. Ataxic Gait is due to poor sensation, poor
coordinations,poor balance and lacks muscle
coordination.
4. Hemiplegic or Hemiparetic Gait. the affected
upper limb is carried across the trunk for balance.

22. Cont………
5. Contracture Gait Joints of the lower limb may
exhibit contracture if the joint has not been
properly cared.
6. Parkinsonian Gait The gait is characterized by
shuffling,short rapid steps at times,the patient may
lean forward and walk progressively,faster as
though unable to stop (festination).
7. Gluteus Medius (Trendelenburg's)Gait It
happen when the hip abductor muscles (gluteus medius
and minimus) are weak.
8. Short leg Gait If one leg is shorter than the other,the
patient demonstrates a lateral shift to the affected side, and

23. Factors leading to abnormal gait
1.Pain.
2.Injury to the pelvic,hip,knee,ankle or foot.
3.stiffness.
4.Deformity.
5.Poor sensation.
6.Poor balance.
7.Lacks of musle coordination.

24. Gait correction
Can be corrected by .
1.Mirror.
2.Drawing a line.
3.Wearing appropriate shoes.

26. Prepared by
Selestino S Chuzye