7.gait Biomechanics & Analysis
7.gait Biomechanics & Analysis
7.gait Biomechanics & Analysis
Basic terminologies
Basic biomechanics
COG
BOS
LOG
Power exchange
Knee flexion concentric power gain
Disadvantages
Hard for CM to move in straight line
Arc shaped
Gait Cycle - Definitions:
► Normal Gait =
Series of rhythmical , alternating movements of the
trunk & limbs which result in the forward progression
of the center of gravity
Series of ‘controlled falls’
Physiological definition
Mechanical definition
Pre requisite
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.
(visual, vestibular, auditory, sensori-motor input)
Phases of step cycle
Stance phase -60% (20% double support)
1. Initial contact
2. The loading response
3. Mid stance
4. Terminal stance
5. Pre swing
Swing phase -40%
1. Initial swing
2. Mid swing
3. terminal swing
Terminology
RLA (phases) Traditional (events)
Stance Stance
Initial Contact Heel Strike
Loading response HS → foot flat
Midstance FF → midstance
Terminal stance Midstance → heel off
Pre-swing Heel off → toe off
Swing Swing
Initial swing Toe off → early accel.
Midswing Accel. → midswing
Terminal swing Midswing → deceler.
Gait cycle
Phases of Gait
Step and stride length and stride width
Gait Cycle - Subdivisions:
A. Stance phase:
1. Heel contact: ‘Initial contact’
2. Foot-flat: ‘Loading response’, initial contact of forefoot w. ground
3. Midstance: greater trochanter in alignment w. vertical bisector of foot
4. Heel-off: ‘Terminal stance’
5. Toe-off: ‘Pre-swing’
Gait Cycle - Subdivisions:
B. Swing phase:
1. Acceleration: ‘Initial swing’
2. Midswing: swinging limb overtakes the limb in stance
3. Deceleration: ‘Terminal swing’
► Time Frame:
A. Stance vs. Swing:
►Stance phase = 60% of gait
cycle
►Swing phase = 40%
B. Single vs. Double support:
►Single support= 40% of gait
cycle
►Double support= 20%
► With increasing walking speeds:
► Stancephase: decreases
► Swing phase: increases
► Double support:decreases
► Running:
► By definition: walking without double support
► Ratio stance/swing reverses
► Double support disappears. ‘Double swing’ develops
The stance period consists of the first five phases:
initial contact, loading response, mid-stance and
terminal stance.
Stance phase
Swing phase
Kinematic Description of Gait
Movement of the joints and segments in space –
Pelvis, Hip, Knee, Ankle
Sagittal Kinematics
Frontal Kinematics
Transverse kinematics
Saggital kinematics
Initial contact
(Heel strike)
Muscle work
Stabilizers
Loading Response Phase
(Heel Strike to Foot Flat)
Muscle work
Quards ---Eccentric
DF….Eccentric
T.Antand Post….Eccentric
Hip extensors
Mid stance
(Foot Flat to mid stance)
HIP: 25° → 0°
KNEE: 15° →0°
ANKLE: 10PF→5°dorsiflexion
2nd rocker ankle
Muscle work
Hip extensors
Soleus and gastro…eccentric
Terminal Stance
Mid stance to Heel off
Muscle work
Planter flexors
No quards and hamstring
Pre swing
(Heel Off to Toe Off)
Muscle work
Planter flexors
Push off
Passive knee flexion
Initial swing
Toe Off to early
HIP: 15 °F
KNEE: 60°F
ANKLE: 10° plantar flexion
Muscle work
Hip flexors
Knee flexors
DF
Mid swing
HIP: 25 °F
KNEE: 25°F
ANKLE: 0°
Muscle work
Hip flexors
Quards
Terminal Swing
Mid-swing-deceleration
HIP: 25 °F
KNEE: 0°-5
ANKLE: 0°
Muscle
Hip extensors
Hamstring
Swing phase
1. Initial quads and hip flexors
2. Pendulum…momentum
3. Hamstring and hip extensors
4. Quads
Muscle Function
1. Trunk
Counterbalance trunk flexion movement
2. Abdominals
rotates trunk in opposite direction of pelvis
Muscle Function
3. Hip Flexors
(iliopsoas, TFL, sartorius, rectus femoris, and adductors)
brief activity at beginning of swing to initiate hip flexion
silence at mid-swing
4. Gluteus Maximus
activity begins at TSW, rises during IC
6. Hip Abductors
stabilize pelvis in the frontal plane
7. Quadriceps
active from TSW through MST
from floor
11. Gastroc/soleus
active just after midstance through terminal stance
Hip AB-Adduction
Hip adducts in early stance about 5°,
abducts in late stance about 5°, and
returns to neutral in swing.
Frontal Kinematics
Subtalar
In early stance, eversion(pronation) unlocks the
ambulation
► Classic papers: Sanders, Inman (1953)
1.PELVIC ROTATION
2.PELVIC OBLIQUITY
3. Knee flexion in stance phase
4. Ankle mechanism
5. Foot mechanism
6. Lateral displacement of body
Gait
Initial HC HC
‘Heel transient’
Foot-Flat Mid-
stance
Gait
Initial HC HC
‘HeelHeel-off
transient’
Toe-off
Gait analysis
1. Temporal / Spatial
2. Kinematics
•Qualitative Gait analysis
•Observational gait analysis OGA
•Biomechanical evaluation
•GHORT
3. Kinetics
4. Dynamic Electromyography
Temporal and Distance Factors
Velocity– 1.46 m/second (3.26 miles/hour)
Step length – 76.3 cm (30.05 inches)
Cadence – 1.9 steps /second
Stride length –
Walking speed – men-110 steps/minute , women-
115 steps/minute
Gait Parameters
Males Females
Foot angle 7 6
GAIT
Muscle strength
► Planter flexors 5
► Quards 3plus
► Hip extensors 3plus
► Hip flexors 2 plus
Kinetics
GRF
COP
Muscle Torque
Kinetics
Ground Reaction Forces
The equal-and-opposite force the floor exerts on the
body during stance
Best measured with a force plate
Forces are typically resolved into:
Vertical Compression (z)
Anterior-Posterior Shear (y)
Medial-Lateral Shear (x)
Gait Analysis – Forces:
► Forces which have the most significant Influence
are due to:
(1) gravity
(2) muscular contraction
(3) inertia
(4) floor reaction
Gait Analysis – Forces:
Progression
Coordinated and rhythmic pattern of muscle activation in legs
and trunk
Requires the ability to initiate and terminate locomotion
Guide locomotion towards end points that are no t necessarily
visible
Stability
Appropriate posture for locomotion
Dynamic stability
Adaptation
Adaptations to avoid obstacles, navigate uneven terrain, and
change speed and direction as needed
ABNORMAL GAIT
Abnormal Gait Syndromes
In general gait deviations fall under four headings:
Gonalgic gait
Podalgic gait
Musculoskeletal
Trunk bending
Toe walking
Equinaus walking
Flat foot
Planterflexiors weakness
Abnormal Gait
Neurological abnormal gait
Cerebellar Ataxic
Sensory ataxic
Vestibular ataxic
Parkinson gait
Propulsive gait
Steppage gait
Scissors gait
Myopathic gait
Hemiplegic gait
Hysterical gait
Abnormal Gait: Pain
Antalgic Gait: Painful hip
Gonalgic Gait: painful knee
Limp adopted
To avoid pain
Avoid weight-bearing
Very short stance phase
Short Leg Gait/ leg length discrepancy
Pelvis raised
Foot supinated
Scoliosis
Hamstring spasticity
Knee buckles
Knee region
Toe walking…….Tight TA
Equinaus walking……Tight DF
Flat foot
Parkinson gait
Propulsive gait
Steppage gait
Scissors gait
Myopathic gait
Hemiplegic gait
Hysterical gait
Proprioceptive Loss: Sensory
Ataxia
Wide based
Unsteadiness
Irregularity of steps
Lateral veering
Motor ataxia
Eye open Romberg sign
ATAXIC GAIT
An unsteady
Uncoordinated
Wide base
Feet thrown out
FESTINATING/PARKINSONIAN GAIT
Involuntarily moves
Short steps
Accelerating steps
Difficult to start
Difficult to stop
Parkinson Gait
Shuffling: small stepped gait without arm
swing with high speed.
• Excessive force to
propel body
Foot drop
Abductor weakness
Lurching Gait
Wadding gait
Scissor Gait
Toe walk
Planter flexor spastic
► Pelvis retracted
Hysterical Gait
HIP
Hip flexion excessive……Contracture
Limited HF……weakness …..Tight HE
HE limited…..HF contracture
External rotation…..Pelvis retracted
Hip hiking……Weak DF, Spastic extensor
Circumduction….weak HF
Deviations at Hip
Position Deviation Description Possible cause
Heel strike to FF Excessive flexion More than 30 Contracture