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Locomotion Flashcards

1
Q

Define locomotion

A

Variety of movements or methods that animals use to move from one place to another.

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2
Q

Define activity

A

Task you perform in your daily routine or in the context of your social activity. It requires multiple structures and functions.

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3
Q

Do you need big samples to assess gait cycle in the context of treadmill walking ?

A

No. In this conditions the gait cycle is a rhythmic pattern performed without consciousness (automatically). Its structure is repeated over and over.

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4
Q

Define human gait

A

It’s a type of locomotion, that uses movements sequences of several body segments in order to propel the body forward with the least energy expenditure.

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5
Q

What are the different perspectives when studying gait ?

A
  • kinetics : study of forces acting in muscles
  • kinematics : study of the movements taking place when walking
  • dynamic and static posture analysis
  • motor control : study of the motor planning and execution
  • research : focused on properties and alteration of the gait
  • clinical/ functional assessment : the use of references to identify the abnormal
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6
Q

What are the characteristics of human gait ?

A
  • spatial : considering the stride length and the step length
  • temporal : considering the speed and the cadence
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7
Q

Define stride length and stride width

A

Stride length : the distance you cover when you do 2 steps. It equals to a gait cycle.
Stride width : how distant the feet are from the center line from a frontal plane perspective. It can be negative. The reference is the width of the pelvis.

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8
Q

Define the angle of progression ?

A

The angle of rotation present in the lower limp when walking.

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9
Q

Define speed and cadence

A
  • speed : is the distance covered in an hour. The average is 4,5 km/h but it depends on the person’s preference and not only their morphology.
  • cadence : is the number of steps per minute. The average is from 60 to 120 steps/ minute.
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10
Q

How can you modulate the gait speed ?

A

By modifying the cadence or the stride length.

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11
Q

What are the requirements for normal gait

A
  • upright position with the body weight equally supported by the lower limbs
  • proper weight transfer
  • center of mass projection within the base of support
  • constant sensorial information (ex: visual, proprioceptive)
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12
Q

Define gait cycle and describe its two main phases

A

It is the time from when the foot touches the ground to the time it touches it again. It is composed by stance phase which represents 60% in normal gait cycle and swing phase which represents 40% of normal gait cycle.

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13
Q

What are the different interphases of the stance phase ?

A

All the different moments when your foot is in contact with the ground :

  • heel strike
  • foot flat
  • mid stance
  • heel-off
  • toe-off
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14
Q

What are the interphases of the swing phase ?

A
  • acceleration
  • mid-swing
  • deceleration
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15
Q

What are all the interphases of the gait cycle ?

A
  • STANCE PHASE :
Heel strike 
Foot flat 
Mid-stance 
Heel off 
Toe off
  • SWING PHASE :

Acceleration
Midswing
Deceleration

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16
Q

What happens to the duration of stance phase when you accelerate the speed ?

A

The foot spends less time on the ground and the stance phase proportion is reduced.

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17
Q

What are the requirements to achieve stability in the gait cycle ?

A
  • motor control
  • proper plantar function / structure
  • proper strength levels
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18
Q

Name two structures that can influence the limb progression

A
  • opposite plantar flexors

- hip extensors

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19
Q

Describe what happens during the first foot rocker

A
  • loading response
  • OKC
  • fulcrum = ankle
  • plantar flexion
  • eccentric contraction of the dorsi flexors
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20
Q

Describe the second foot rocker

A
  • CKC
  • fulcrum = ankle
  • tibial motion over the foot
  • ankle dorsiflexion
  • foot is not moving
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21
Q

Describe the third foot rocker

A
  • CKC
  • forefoot rocker during heel-off
  • fulcrum = metatarso-phalangial
  • passive extension of the toes
  • shift of body weight
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22
Q

What happens to foot positioning when one walk fast ?

A

The forefoot contacts the ground instead of the heel.

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23
Q

At normal seep what happens if the foot is not properly positioned ?

A
  • the knee is slightly flexed

- it causes injuries lie ankle sprain

24
Q

Explain the foot clearance mechanism and describe the muscles activating to make it happen

A

It happens to make sure one has enough space between the foot and the floor to make the swing happens.
It takes place during toe-off, swing phase and heel-strike.
It implies
- hip flexors
- knee flexors
- dorsiflexors

25
What is affected in the syndrome of “drop foot”
- the nerve controlling ankle dorsiflexion is affected. - the limb progression becomes difficult. - the patient compensate by flexing the hip and knee more.
26
What are the requirements for proper heel strike
- proper foot positioning to allow optimal shock absorption caused by ground reaction forces. - calcaneus hits the ground - dorsiflexors (to keep the foot in neutral position) - knee flexors/ extensors (knee has to be nearly in full extension) - coordination
27
What causes ankle sprain when foot contacts the ground ?
- ankle plantar flexion | - foot inversion
28
During which phases of the gait cycle is there a double support ?
Double support I : - initial contact - loading response Double support II : - pre swing
29
During which phases of the gait cycle is there a single support (of the considered leg) ?
- mid-stance | - terminal-stance
30
Describe the joint kinematics at heel strike
It’s a moment not a movement ! Double support takes place - hip is flexed (20/30°) - knee nearly in full extension (0/5°) - ankle is neutral
31
What allows the chock absorption during the loading response ?
- eccentric contraction of the ankle dorsiflexors
32
Describe the joint kinematics of the loading response
- it’s the first movement - first foot rocker - the last instant of double support - hip is slightly flexed - the knee is in eccentric flexion with the purpose of load absorption - the ankle is in eccentric plantar flexion with the purpose of load absorption
33
What is the most challenging phase for the balance ?
Mid stance
34
Describe the joints kinematics during mid stance
- longest phase of the gait cycle - momentum acquired by opposite limb - second foot rocker - hip extension - knee extension - ankle dorsiflexion - gluteus med (hip abductor) stabilizes the pelvis (about 5° of pelvic tilt) on the side of support - gastrocnemius stabilizes the tibia (“triceps surae”)
35
What is tredelenbourg sign?
- excessive pelvic tilt on the contra lateral side = limping - sign of gluteus med weakness - signe of inability to maintain the pelvis stable
36
Describe the joint kinematics of terminal stance
- Third foot rocker - hip reaches its peak of extension (adductor longus works eccentric here) - knee is kept close to full extension (gastrocnemius still stabilizing ) - ankle is still dorsi flexing (!) due to forward movement of the tibia - heel rise - begging of weight transfer to the other limb
37
How do we conventionally describe the general motion of the lower limps during mid stance ?
It’s trajectory follows the motion of an inverted pendulum.
38
Describe the joint kinematics in pre swing phase
- End of stance phase - body weight has been transferred to the opposite limb - hip and knee start to flex : rectus femoris provides an eccentric contraction allowing the flexion (it controls both knee and hip) - maximal plantar flexion with toe-off propulsion
39
Describe the joint kinematics in initial swing phase
- OKC - acceleration phase - hip, knee and ankle concentric flexion ( the sartorius, gracilis and semitendinosus are working eccentrically because AB° and ADD° happens at the same time) - foot clearance mechanisms
40
Describe the joint kinematics in mid-swing
- hip flexion - knee starts extension : It’s a turning point because previously flexed articulation will start to extend again - ankle is neutral : isometric contraction of foot extensors
41
Describe the joints kinematics of terminal swing
- deceleration phase - hamstrings are working eccentrically to stabilize hip and knee this is the phase in which they work the most - hip flexion motion decelerates - knee is almost fully extended - ankle stabilized in neutral position
42
What is the direction of plantar loading progression during stance phase ?
Posterior to anterior
43
Regarding plantar loading progression in stance phase, when does the maximum load happens ?
Between mid-stance and terminal stance
44
What is the purpose of adductor longus eccentric contraction in terminal stance ?
- controlling the movement of the hip articulation - help reaching the pic value of hip extension - it’s an eccentric contraction because the muscle is lengthening to control the hip extension
45
What is the purpose of gluteus medius concentric contraction during the stance phase ?
As it stabilize the hip during stance. There is 5° pelvic tilt so it’s not fully isometric.
46
Why does extensors digitorum work eccentrically in swing phase ?
To hold the ankle in a neutral position
47
Why does the rectus femoris contract eccentrically in pre swing phase ?
Because it controls the knee flexion
48
What are the purposes of each type of contraction in the gait cycle ?
``` Isometric = stability Concentric = propulsion Eccentric = control ```
49
Name the important bi articular muscles acting in gait cycle
- biceps femoris - rectus femoris - sartorius - gastrocnemius
50
What is the role of biceps femoris in gait cycle ?
- bi articular nature - active in the final stages of the gait cycle such as terminal swing - decelerates the hip and knee flexion
51
What is the role of rectus femoris in gait cycle ?
- controls knee and hip range of motion in pre-swing
52
What is the role of sartorius in gait cycle ?
- in swing phase - when acceleration takes place - it is responsible for flexing the hip and the knee
53
What is the role of gastrocnemius in gait cycle ?
- active in mid-stance - active in terminal stance - it locks the knee in extension - it controls the ankle in extension
54
Who is responsible for the hip motion in mid stance ?
Momentum and propulsion
55
Give examples of muslces shortening and lengthening at the same time and when in the gait cycle ?
- rectus femoris : stretches distally and contracts proximally in pre swing or initial swing - gastrocnemius : stretches distally and contracts proximally in initial swing - hamstrings : pre swing/ initial swing

Human Movement (11 decks)

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