MACALALAD, ALEJANDRA D.

PT2-1

GAIT CYCLE
Phases of Gait
• Stance phase constitutes approximately 60% of the gait cycle, and is defined as the
interval in which the reference foot is in contact with the ground.
– closed kinematic chain

• Swing phase comprises approximately 40% of the gait cycle, and occurs when the
reference limb is not in contact with the ground.
- open kinematic chain

Early terminology describing the phases of gait included descriptors for both stance (i.e.,
heel strike, footflat, midstance, heel-off, and toe off) and swing (i.e., acceleration, mid swing,
and deceleration). Though useful for describing normal gait, the terminology is sometimes
confusing in the presence of pathology.
To avoid the confusions associated with earlier terminology, Perry and colleagues from
Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center developed a generic terminology to
describe the eight functional phases of gait.
The first five phases constitute stance:
initial contact, loading response, mid stance, terminal stance, and pre-swing.
The latter three comprise swing:
initial swing, mid swing, and terminal swing.

Stance Phase
Heel Contact:
o Beginning of stance when heel first contacts ground.
Foot Flat: “Loading Response”
o Immediately follows heel strike when sole of foot contacts floor.
Midstance:
o Point at which body passes directly over reference extremity.
Heel Off: “Terminal stance”
o Point following midstance when reference limb’s heel leaves ground.
Toe Off: “Pre-swing”
o Point following heel- off when only the reference limb’s toe is contacting
ground.
Swing Phase
Acceleration:
o Beginning portion of swing from reference limb toe off to point when
reference limb is directly under the body.
o Foot is lifted off the floor/knee flexion/ankle DF
Mid swing:
o Portion of swing when reference limb passes directly below body. Extends
from the end of acceleration to beginning of deceleration.
o Swing leg is adjacent to the weight bearing leg
Deceleration:
o Portion of swing when reference limb is decelerating in preparation for
heel strike.
o Swing leg slows down in preparation for initial contact with the floor
o Normal gait-quadriceps/hamstring muscles required

SUB PHASES OF GAIT – Stance Phase

SUB PHASES OF GAIT – Swing Phase

GAIT Deviation
Trendelenburg Gait
- It is caused by a unilateral weakness of the hip
abductors, mostly the gluteal musculature. This
weakness could be due to superior gluteal
nerve damage or in 5th lumbar spine lesion. This
condition makes it difficult to support the body’s weight
on the affected side.
During normal gait, both lower limbs bear half of the
body weight is some part of stance phase. When one
lower limb is lifted in swing phase, the other takes the
entire weight.
During the stance phase of gait, the pelvis tilts
downwards on the weight-bearing extremity and hikes
up on the non-weight bearing extremity. But when there
is a hip abductor weakness, the pelvis tilts downwards
instead of upwards on the non-weight bearing
extremity. In an attempt to lessen this effect, the person
compensates by lateral tilt of the trunk away from the
affected hip, thus center of gravity is mostly on the stance limb causing a reduction of the
pelvic drop.
Determinants of Gait: Pelvic Tilt

Antalgic Gait
- Is a compensatory gait pattern adopted in order to remove or
diminish the discomfort caused by pain in the LL or pelvis.
Characteristic features:
• Decreased in duration of stance phase of the affected limb
(unable to weight bear due to pain)
• There is a lack of weight shift laterally over the stance limb
and also keep weight off the involved limb.
• Decrease in stance phase in affected side will result in
decrease in swing phase of sound limb.