WALKING

Description
Alternating action of the 2 lower
extremities
Translatory motion of the body
brought about by rotary motion of
some of its parts
2 parts:
swing
support

Description
Kinematics are often described in terms of
strides and steps
one strides = one full lower extremity cycle

Strides : from heel strike to the next heel

strike of the same leg
Stride length: distance covered in one stride
Step: from heel strike of one leg to heel
strike of opposite leg

Description
Chief sources of motion in the swing
phase are gravity and momentum,
ballistic movement
Sources of motion for support phase
are:
1st half: momentum of forward moving
trunk
2nd half: contraction of extensor
muscles of supporting leg

Action of Upper Extremities in Walking

Arm tends to swing in opposition to
the legs
This reflex action is usually without
obvious muscular action and serve to
balance rotation of the pelvis
Max flexion of shoulder and elbow
occur at heel strike of opposite foot
Max extension of shoulder and elbow
occur at heel strike of same foot

Anatomical Principles
1. Alignment
Reduces friction and decreases the likelihood
of strain and injury
Stability of weight bearing limb and balance
of trunk over this limb are factors in
smoothness of gait

2. Unnecessary lateral movement decrease

gait economy
Excessive trunk rotation with excessive arm
motion
Pelvis may drop on one side without support
Pelvic rotation should be just enough to
enable the leg to move straight forward

Anatomical Principles
3. Normal flexibility of the joints reduces
resistance
Tendons of 2 joints muscles of lower
extremity contribute to economy of
muscular action in walking

4. Properly functioning reflexes contribute

to a well coordinated, efficient gait
Injury, diseases or substances abuse can
interfere with the walking reflexes

Mechanical Principles
Inertia of the body must overcome with every
step
Brief restraining action of the forward limb
serve as a brake on the momentum of the
trunk in order to not move the center of gravity
beyond the base support
Translatory movement is achieve by alternating
the lower extremity rotary movement between
the foot (support phase) and hip (swing phase)

Mechanical Principles
Vertical component of ground reaction force
serves to counteract the pull of gravity
horizontal component serves to:
Check forward motion heel stroke
Produce forward motion during toe of

Speed is increased by increasing stride

length and rate
Speed is directly related to magnitude of
force and direction of application

Mechanical Principles
Efficiency of locomotion partially
depend on friction and ground reaction
force
Most efficient gait is one that is timed
to permit pendular motion of the lower
extremities
Alternating loss and recovery of
balance