Gait + Walking

Question 1

What are the three types of muscle contraction?

Answer 1

• isometric: stabilizes joint; no change in length
• concentric: produces movement; muscle contracts
• eccentric: controls movement; muscle lengthens (NOT the same as relaxation, as the lengthening is an active/controlled process)

Question 2

What are the two phases of walking?

Answer 2

• stance phase and swing phase
• stance: contact w/ ground, propulsive
• swing: non-contact, recovery

Question 3

What percent increase in energy is needed to go from supine to standing? From standing to walking?

Answer 3

• supine to standing: 25% increase

- standing to walking: 370% increase

Question 4

What four things determine gait? What does each do? What is the universal result of these actions?

Answer 4

• pelvic rotation, knee + hip flexion, pelvic tiltt, and knee + ankle interaction
• pelvic rotation: raises the lowest point of the center of gravity
• knee + hip flexion: lowers the highest point of the center of gravity
• pelvic tilt: lowers center of gravity
• these all confine the vertical shifts in the center of gravity that occur while walking; this means we use less energy!

Question 5

Which is farther apart than the other - the hip joints or the knee joints?

Answer 5

• hip joints are farther than knee joints

- (this results in a physiologic valgus movement

Question 6

________ initiate the swing phase, ________ pull the leg through, ________ maintain pelvic tilt, _________ produce external rotation during swing phase and control internal rotation during stance phase.

Answer 6

• hip flexors initiate swing phase
• hip extensors pull the leg through
• hip abductors maintain pelvic tilt
• hip lateral rotators produce external rotation during swing (concentric action) and control internal rotation during stance (eccentric action)

Question 7

What does Trandelenburg’s gait result from? How is gait affected?

Answer 7

• due to weak hip abductors

- the pelvis falls to the unsupported side during gait

Question 8

_______ prevent collapse during heel strike and push-off, _______ are active at the beginning of swing phase, ________ control the rate of dorsiflexion, and ________ control the rate of plantar flexion and allow the swing phase to occur without our toes striking the ground.

Answer 8

• knee extensors prevent collapse
• knee flexors are active during swing phase
• plantar flexors control rate of dorsiflexion
• dorsiflexors control rate of plantar flexion and allow the swing phase to occur without striking the ground

Question 9

Describe the distribution of pressure on the sole of the foot during walking.

Answer 9

• pressure begins at the heel, moves laterally, and then swings medially to the big toe

Question 10

Damage to the common fibular nerve results in _________ and _________.

Answer 10

• foot drop (inability to dorsiflex, due to paralysis)

- foot slap (due to weakness)

Question 11

What is antalgic gait?

Answer 11

• changes in gait related to pain