• Two functions of gait

• Weight bearing: a force acted on the body due to gravity
• Ambulation: the action of walking or moving about freely

Two phases of gaits

Stance

Swing

Stance

v  Heel strike

v  Foot flat

v  Mid-stance

v  Toe off

Swing

v  Acceleration

v  Mid-swing

v  deceleration

• Starts as soon as patient walks into the room
• Make notes of any deformities or limp and determine what phase and component it is effecting
• Assess all components of gait by having patient walk to and away from you several times

Width of base

  2-4 inches from heel to heel

Center of gravity

Center of gravity lies 2 inches in front of the 2^nd sacral vertebrae (varies in vertical direction no more than 2 inches)

Knee flexion

  Knee should remain flexed throughout the stance phase except heel strike

Trunk and pelvis shift

 Normal shift is 1 inch towards the weight bearing side

Length of step/stride length

Step +/- 15 inches from heel to heel

  Stride +/- 30 inches

Cadence

  90-120 steps per minute

 Listen to rhythm as they walk

Hip rotation

 In swing phase it rotates 40 degrees forward

Opposite hip acts as fulcrum for rotation

Antalgic gait

  Painful gait, resulting from injury to the hip, knee, ankle, pelvis, or foot

Arthrogenic gait

v  Stiff hip of knee gait

v  When hip or knee is fused or recently been in a cast or brace

v  Lifts entire leg higher during swing phase

v  Opposite leg has a short gait length due to weight bearing on the stiff leg

Ataxic gait

  Drunk gait

 Patient will experience poor sensation, lack of muscle coordination, poor balance, staggering, foot slap, and will need to watch their feet when walking

Gluteus Medius (Trendelenburg gait)

v  Weak hip abductor

v  Have a lateral lurch of the trunk

v  Trendelenburg sign: opposite weight bearing side droops due to bilateral weakness which causes a wobbling motion

Gluteus Maximus gait

v  Weak hip extensors

v  Backward lurch of the trunk

Plantar Flexor gait

v  Weak plantar flexors

v  Loss of toe off

Drop Foot gait

v  Weak dorsiflexors

v  Patient must lift their knee higher to avoid dragging their toes on the ground