What is a gait?
used to describe a pattern of movement of the limbs during locomotion
What are some of the commonly used gaits?
walk, run, skip, hop
What are the similarities in the walking and running gait?
- each leg moves through a stance and swing phase
- leg is retracted (hip extension) in stance phase and protracted (hip flexion) in the swing phase
What is stride?
one complete gait cycle: right contact to right contact
What is a step?
half a gait cycle: right contact to left contact
What is walking?
always at least one foot in contact with the ground
What is the difference between the walking and running gait?
walking - always one limb on the ground, double stance phase, leg relatively stiff
running - flight phase between each step, bouncing gait, leg relatively springy
What is running?
single support phase followed by a flight phase
Describe the running gait cycle
- step length and stride frequency are performance indicators
- during of stance phase will respect to flight phase
- greater muscle forces are required to support body weight
Describe the stance phase during the running gait cycle
- leg is retracted via extension of the hip
- leg absorbs energy as the knee flexes and ankle dorsi flexes during the 1st half of the stance
- actively stretching the quads and triceps
Describe the swing phase during the running gait cycle
- hip flexes to protract the limb and then begins to extend just prior to foot strike
- knee flexes as a result of the energy stored in the muscles at the toe-off
- knee extends in the 2nd half of the swing
- hip flexion and knee extension stretch biarticular hamstring muscles
- hamstring muscles undergo eccentric contraction
