Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Observational Gait Analysis: Identifying Key Events in The Gait Cycle
Observational Gait Analysis: Identifying Key Events in The Gait Cycle
Analysis
Joints are:
• free to move
• possess optimal alignment
• depends on…
– fibrous tissue mobility
– articular cartilage smoothness
*Evaluated during static biomechanical examination
-also examine: plantar lesions, soft tissue abnormalities
Keep In Mind...
• Step
• Stride
• Cadence
• Gait Cycle
Abnormal or subtle change in gait
– movement is forced due to weakness spasticity or
deformity
or
– movement is a compensation to correct for some other
problem which needs to be identified
Requirements for Observational Gait
Analysis
• Suitable site
– straight, level walkway
(length & width)
– line of progression
– lighting
• Patient attire
• Treadmill and video
• Observe
– posterior, anterior, lateral
– barefoot vs. wearing shoes
– with & without orthotics
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Head tilt at heel strike
Normal: Vertical Position
Significance of Deviation
• Tilts to short or long limb
• Tilts towards the raised shoulder
• Muscle tightness
• Habit
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Shoulder position during stance
Normal: Equal
Significance of Deviation
Shoulder drop due to
– Scolosis
– Short or long limb
– Trauma
– Occupational
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Arm swing during stance
Normal: Equal active arm swing
Significance of Deviation
No arm swing
– Need to stabilize the trunk
– Tight erect posture
Unilateral arm swing
– Greater arm swing on the side of
the short leg
– Limitation of motion in the opposite hip
– Occupational
Evaluation of Short Leg
Palpate pelvic crest ASIS and PSIS
• Level the pelvic crest with know
thickness of material under short
side
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Pelvic hike in swing
Normal: None
Significance of Deviation
Used to assist ground
clearance if foot drop is
present
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Pelvic drop of opposite side during
stance
Normal: None
Significance of Deviation
If present:
• Weak hip abductors
• Tight hip adductors
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Pelvic drop of same
side in swing
Normal: None
Significance of Deviation
If present suspect:
• Opposite side hip abductor
weakness
• Loading a short limb
• Scolosis
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: External hip rotation
Normal: Terminal stance and into swing
Significance of Deviation
Increased by:
• Muscle problem – gluteus maximus
• Foot fault contact – retroversion
• Compensation
• Excessive supination at contact
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Internal hip rotation
Normal: Contact into midstance
Significance of Deviation
Increased by:
• Tight medial musculature
• Foot contact fault – Anteversion
• Compensation
• Excessive pronation into propulsion
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Knee extension in stance
Normal: Fully extends in midstance
Significance of Deviation
If excessive consider:
Compensation for equinus
Weak quadriceps
Pain
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Knee flexion in stance
Normal: After contact and
midswing
Significance of Deviation
If excessive in stance or swing:
Hamstring contracture
Soleus weakness (stance only)
Quadriceps weakness (swing
only)
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Transverse plane position
of knee at end of contact
Normal: 3-5 internally rotated
Significance of Deviation
Internal:
• Internal femoral torsion or position
• Spastic or tight medial musculature
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Transverse plane position of knee
at end of contact
Normal: 3-5° internally rotated
Significance of Deviation
External:
• External femoral torsion or position
• Spastic or tight lateral musculature
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Frontal plane position
of the knee
Normal: Vertical +/- 2°
Significance of Deviation
Bow leg
• Coxa valga- genu varum
• Pediatric developmental
Knock Knee
• Coxa vara- genu valgum
• Pediatric developmental
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Frontal plane position of the tibia
Normal: Vertical +/- 2°
Significance of Deviation
• Tibial varum
• Blount’s disease
• Rickets
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Frontal plane position of the calcaneus
at heel strike
Normal: 2 - 4° inverted
Significance of Deviation
Excessive varus due to:
• Tibia varum
• Cavus foot type
• Plantarflexed 1st ray
• Narrow base of gait
• Abducted gait angle
Sounds of Heel Strike
Listen…pounding?
If excessive pounding this will indicate
lack of shock absorption
Look for shock waves up the leg
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Frontal plane position of the calcaneus at
heel strike
Normal: 2 - 4° inverted
Significance of Deviation
Vertical or valgus due to:
• Genu valgum
• Calcaneal valgum
• Internal femoral torsion
• Internal tibial torsion
• Weak anterior group
• Inability to resupinate
Navicular Position- Sagittal View
• Pronation - talar head adducts against
navicular, decreasing distance from ground
• Supination - talar head abducts, increasing
distance from ground
• Can be related to Medial longitudinal arch
angle
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Angle of gait during stance phase
Normal: 10-15 ° abducted
Significance of Deviation
Abducted gait due to:
– External hip rotation
– External tibial rotation
– Fully compensated MTJ
– Pronated foot at heel off
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Angle of gait during stance phase
Normal: 10-15 ° abducted
Significance of Deviation
Adducted gait due to:
– Internal hip rotation
– Internal tibial torsion
– Tight medial hamstring
– Metatarsus adductus
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Base of gait during the stance
phase
Normal: 4” in width between subsequent
heel strike
Significance of Deviation
Narrow base due to:
– Tibia varum
– Increase in cadence, running, and jogging
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Base of gait during the stance
phase
Normal: 4” in width between subsequent heel
strike
Significance of Deviation
Broad base due to:
– Genu valgum
– Instability of the trunk
– Pediatric
– Geriatric
Observational Gait Analysis
MTJ
– Midstance & propulsion - key for foot stability
Metatarsal heads
– FFL- anterior view - 5th met. head contacts first,
followed in sequence by the others
– Propulsion - reverse - 5th leaves first
• 1st MPJ - lateral view - df
TOE POSITION
– contact - dorsiflexion
– midstance - plantargrade
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Time of heel lift
Normal: 60-70% of stance phase, when
opposite limb has passed the
support limb
Significance of Deviation
Premature heel lift due to:
– Short or spastic posterior group, ankle block
– Associated with the limited midtarsal ROM
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Time of heel lift
Normal: 60-70% of stance phase,
when opposite limb has
passed the support limb
Significance of Deviation
Delayed heel lift due to:
– Moderate to severe MTJ
compensation
– Short stride
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Frontal plane motion of the foot to the
support surface during propulsion
Normal: Lateral side of the foot raises
earlier than medial side
Significance of Deviation
Inverted gait due to:
– Forefoot varus
– Forefoot valgus
– Rigid plantarflexed 1st ray
– Functional hallux limitus
– Adducted gait angle
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Frontal plane motion of the
calcaneus at heel lift
Normal: Vertical moving into inversion
Significance of Deviation
Vertical or valgus
– Pronated STJ
Observational Gait Analysis
Event: Direction of weight flow through
hallux at toe off
Normal: moves through the long axis of the
hallux
Significance of Deviation
Medial side of hallux due to:
– Pronated STJ and MTJ
– Abducted gait
– FHL
– Hallux rigidus