Michael Tuffour

[D B @BDberish000]

The gait cycle in human walking is complex and still not fully understood ... [thread]

[D B @BDberish000]

The sequences for walking that occur may be summarized as follows: [thread]

[D B @BDberish000]

(1) Starting at the brain --> Registration and activation of the gait command within the central nervous system

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(2) Transfer of information from CNS to PNS --> Transmission of the gait systems to the peripheral nervous system

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(3) Activation of musculoskeletal system --> Contraction of muscles

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(4) Subsequent generation of several forces

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(5) Regulation of joint forces and moments across synovial joints and skeletal segments

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(6) Generation of ground reaction forces

[D B @BDberish000]

Classification of the gait cycle involves two main phases: the stance phase and the swing phase.

[D B @BDberish000]

The stance phase occupies 60% of the gait cycle while the swing phase occupies only 40% of it.

[D B @BDberish000]

Gait involves a combination of open- and close-chain activities ... A more detailed classification of gait recognizes six phases:
- Heel Strike
- Foot Flat
- Mid-Stance
- Heel-Off
- Toe-Off
- Mid-Swing

[D B @BDberish000]

Phases of the gait (walking) cycle in humans, a thread:

Source: https://t.co/YdAu5Lkm5c

[D B @BDberish000]

[1] Heel Strike --> AKA initial contact, a short period which begins the moment the foot touches the ground and is the first phase of double support.

[D B @BDberish000]

(heel strike, cont'd).... 30° flexion of the hip and full extension in the knee is observed during HS. The ankle moves from a neutral (supinated 5°) position into plantar flexion

[D B @BDberish000]

(heel strike, cont'd)....After initial contact knee flexion (5°) begins and increases, just as the plantar flexion of the heel increased which is allowed by contraction of the tibialis anterior.

[D B @BDberish000]

...extension of the knee is caused by a contraction of the quadriceps, flexion is caused by a contraction of the hamstrings, and the flexion of the hip is caused by the contraction of the rectus femoris.

[D B @BDberish000]

[2] Foot Flat loading response phase, body absorbs the impact of the foot by rolling in pronation --> hip moves slowly into extension, caused by a contraction of the adductor magnus + gluteus maximus muscles; knee inc to 15° to 20° of flexion. Ankle plantar flexion inc to 10-15°.

[D B @BDberish000]

[3] Midstance: hip moves from 10° of flexion to extension by contraction of the gluteus medius muscle, knee reaches maximal flexion and then begins to extend.

[D B @BDberish000]

(midstance, cont'd) The ankle becomes supinated and dorsiflexed (5°), which is caused by some contraction of the triceps surae muscles.

[D B @BDberish000]

(midstance, cont'd) During this phase, the body is supported by one single leg. At this moment the body begins to move from force absorption at impact to force propulsion forward.