Joint Range of Motion During Gait
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Introduction[edit | edit source]
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gait as “a manner of walking or moving on foot[1].” It involves the interaction between the nervous, musculoskeletal, and cardiorespiratory systems and is heavily impacted by human age, personality, mood, and sociocultural factors[2]. Normal gait function is determined by the optimal operation of the following: “locomotor function (for initiating and sustaining rhythmic gait), balance, postural reflexes, sensory function and sensorimotor integration, motor control, the musculoskeletal apparatus and cardiopulmonary functions.[2]”
Phases of Gait[edit | edit source]
There are 8 phases of gait which are listed as follows[3][4]:
- Initial Contact
- Loading Response
- Midstance
- Terminal Stance
- Pre swing
- Initial Swing
- Mid Swing
- Late Swing [5]
Demos, Gait analysis, (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27235/), 2004. The video below shares a 90-second description of the basics of the gait cycle:
Range of Motion Involved in Gait Phases[edit | edit source]
Initial contact (Heel Strike):
Involves:
- 30° flexion of the hip: full extension in the knee: ankle moves from dorsiflexion to a neutral (supinated 5°) position then into plantar flexion.
- After this, knee flexion (5°) begins and increases, just as the plantar flexion of the heel increased.
- Plantar flexion is allowed by eccentric contraction of the tibialis anterior
- Extension of the knee is caused by a contraction of the quadriceps
- Flexion is caused by a contraction of the hamstrings,
- Flexion of the hip is caused by the contraction of the rectus femoris.
Loading Response (Foot Flat):
Involves:
- Body absorbs the impact of the foot by rolling in pronation.
- Hip moves slowly into extension, caused by a contraction of the adductor magnus and gluteus maximus muscles.
- Knee flexes to 15° to 20° of flexion.
- Ankle plantarflexion increases to 10-15°.
Midstance:
Involves:
- Hip moves from 10° of flexion to extension by contraction of the gluteus medius muscle.
- Knee reaches maximal flexion and then begins to extend.
- Ankle becomes supinated and dorsiflexed (5°), which is caused by some contraction of the triceps surae muscles.
- During this phase, the body is supported by one single leg.
- At this moment the body begins to move from force absorption at impact to force propulsion forward.
Heel Off:
Involves:
- Begins when the heel leaves the floor.
- Bodyweight is divided over the metatarsal heads.
- 10-13° of hip hyperextension, which then goes into flexion.
- Knee becomes flexed (0-5°).
- Ankle supinates and plantar flexes.
Early Swing:
Involves:
- Hip extends to 10° and then flexes due to contraction of the iliopsoas muscle 20° with lateral rotation.
- Knee flexes to 40-60°.
- Ankle goes from 20° of plantar flexion to dorsiflexion, to end in a neutral position.
Mid Swing:
Involves:
- Hip flexes to 30° (by contraction of the adductors) and the ankle becomes dorsiflexed due to a contraction of the tibialis anterior muscle.
- Knee flexes 60° but then extends approximately 30° due to the contraction of the sartorius muscle. (caused by the quadriceps muscles).
Late Swing:
Involves:
- Hip flexion of 25-30°
- Locked extension of the knee
- Neutral position of the ankle.
The following video describes the range of motion requirements involved in the different gait phases:
Range of Motion during Gait
<ref>Alexandra Kopelovich. Gait Range of Motion Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z6shSu96CM [last accessed 22/6/22]
Resources[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Merriam-Webster. Gait. Available from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gait (last accessed 23.6.2022)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pirker W, Katzenschlager R. Gait disorders in adults and the elderly. Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift. 2017 Feb 1;129(3-4):81-95.Available from:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5318488/ (last accessed 25.6.2022)
- ↑ Loudon J, et al. The clinical orthopedic assessment guide. 2nd ed. Kansas: Human Kinetics, 2008. p.395-408.
- ↑ Demos, Gait analysis, (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27235/), 2004.
- ↑ Berger W, et al. Corrective reactions to stumbling in man: neuronal co-ordination of bilateral leg activity during gait. J Physiol 1984;357: 109-125.
- ↑ Nicole Comninellis The Gait Cycle Animation Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=35&v=DP5-um6SvQI