This document defines terms used in gait analysis according to Rancho Los Amigos Observational Gait Analysis. It describes the eight phases of normal gait by detailing the position of the hip, knee, and ankle during each phase, including initial contact, loading response, mid stance, terminal stance, pre-swing, initial swing, mid swing, and terminal swing. The goal is to briefly explain what is happening in the lower limbs during gait.

1. Gait Analysis Definitions
PTHE 1581

2. Objectives
 Define the terms for gait analysis as described by Rancho Los
Amigos Observational Gait Analysis
 Briefly describe what is happening in the lower limbs during
each phase of gait

3. Rancho Los Amigos Terms
 Stance:
 Weight Acceptance
 Initial contact
 Loading response
g p
 Single Limb Support
 Midstance
 TTerminal Stance
lS
 Swing:
 Sing Limb Advancement
 Pre-Swing
 Initial Swing
 MdS
Mid Swing
 Terminal Swing

4. Other Terms (from Oatis)
 Rancho Los Amigos terms are in parentheses; they do not
correlate perfectly
lt f tl
 Stance:
 Ground contact (initial contact)
( )
 Foot flat (loading response to midstance)
 Heel off (midstance to terminal stance)
 Contralateral ground contact (terminal stance)
C l l d ( i l )
 Toe off (pre-swing)
 Swing:
g
 Early swing (initial swing)
 Mid swing (Mid swing)
 L t swing (T
Late i (Terminal swing)
i l i )
*** We will NOT be using this terminology in class, this information is for your reference only ***

5. Phases of Gait
 The following slides give a brief description of what happens
at the hip, knee, and ankle during NORMAL gait

6. Initial Contact (IC)
 Foot makes contact with the ground
 The hip is in 20 degrees of flexion
 The knee is in 5 degrees of flexion
 The ankle is in 0 degrees of dorsiflexion

7. Loading Response (LR)
 Shock absorbtion
 Hip is in 20 degrees of flexion
 Knee is in 15 degrees of flexion
 Ankle is in 5 degrees of plantarflexion
 Foot pronates

8. Mid Stance (MSt)
 The body moves forward over the foot
 Hip is in 0 degrees flexion
 Knee is in 5 degrees flexion
 Ankle is in 5 degrees dorsiflexion

9. Terminal Stance (TSt)
 The body moves past the foot.
 Hip is in 20 degrees extension (apparent motion; some of this
comes from pelvic rotation)
 Knee is in 5 degrees of flexion
 Ankle is in 10 degrees of dorsiflexion

10. Pre-Swing
Pre Swing (PSw)
 Weight is being transferred to the other limb
 Hip is in 10 degrees hyperextension (apparent)
 The knee is in 40 degrees of flexion
 The ankle is in 15 degrees of plantarflexion
 The first metatarsophalangeal joint is in 60 degrees of
dorsiflexion

11. Initial Swing (ISw)
 Thigh begins to advance past the stance thigh and leg
 Hip is in 15 degrees of flexion
 Knee is in 60 degrees of flexion
 Ankle is in 5 degrees of plantarflexion

12. Mid Swing (MSw)
 Leg has also advanced past the stance limb
 Hip is in 25 degrees of flexion
 Knee is in 25 degrees of flexion (perpendicular to the ground)
 Ankle is in 0 degrees dorsiflexion

13. Terminal Swing (TSw)
 The leg extends to provide length to the step
 The hip is in 20 degrees of flexion
 The knee is in 5 degrees of flexion
 The ankle is in 0 degrees of flexion