Stair Gait

1
Stair Gait

• Lecture Notes

2
Stair Gait

• Stair climbing is a general type of motion,
  because it involves an angular motion in the
  joints a translatory movement of the whole
  body.
• Stair gate is similar to level-ground gait
• They both involve swing stance phases
• Progression of the body is done by alternating
  movement of lower extremities
• Lower extremities must balance and carry HAT
  (head, arms, trunk)
• Like walking, in stair climbing we have a time
  when both feet are touching the steps. One foot
  on the first step the other on the second step

3
Stair Gait

• Stair gate is different than level-ground gait
• The firs thing we put on the stair is the
  anterior portion of the foot, unlike in level
  walking where posterior portion of the foot
  (heel) is put first on the ground
• The subphases of stance swing phase are
  different

4
Phases of Stair Gait

• Stance phase includes
• Weight Acceptance
• Pull Up
• Forward Continuation

• Swing phase includes
• Foot Clearance
• Foot Placement

5
Stance Phase1- Weight Acceptance

• Take the first 14 of the stair gait cycle
• We can compare it to the heel strike of walking
  gait, because here the person is ready to load
  his weight to that extremity

6
Stance Phase2- Pull Up

• Meaning pull up the other leg, along with the
  whole body
• Extends from 14 to 32 of the stair gait cycle
• It is a period of single limb support, equivalent
  to midstance in walking gait
• It is a time of instability, because all of the
  body weight is shifted to the stance extremity
• Knee extensors (quadriceps) are responsible for
  most energy generation required here

7
Stance Phase3- Forward Continuous

• The period from 32 to 64 of stair gait cycle
• Equivalent to midstance, heel off toe off of
  walking gait
• Ankle planterflexors are responsible for most
  energy generation required here

8
Question?

• If a person can walk normally, can you tell if
  he/she can go upstairs?!
• No, because the ranges of motion required for
  stair gait is different than the ranges of motion
  required for walking gait.
• The amount of energy required is the least in
  walking. Stair climbing require more energy
  more muscle activity

9
Swing Phase1- Foot Clearance

• When the person takes the whole foot off the
  first step

2- Foot Placement

• When the person is ready to put the foot on the
  second step

10
Stair GaitRange of Motion For The Joints in
Stance Phase

• Concentric contraction of Gluteus maximus will
  take the hip from 60 of flexion to 5 of
  extension
• Concentric contraction of Quadriceps will take
  the knee from 85 of flexion to 10 of extension
• Concentric contraction of Gastoctemius will take
  the ankle from 25 of dorsiflexion to 15 of
  planterflexion

11
From All That We Notice

• Concentric contraction is happening in all of
  these muscle , because we are taking the body
  weight forward upward
• Center of gravity is moving forward upward
• If we are doing upward motion against gravity we
  need concentric contraction to happen

12
Stair GaitRange of Motion For The Joints in
Swing Phase

• Concentric contraction of Gluteus medius will
  cause 10 -20 to 40-60 of flexion in the hip
  joint
• Concentric contraction of the hamstrings will
  cause 10 of flexion to 90 -100 flexion in the
  knee joint
• Concentric contraction of the tibialis anterior
  will cause 10 of planterflexion to 20 of
  dorsiflexion in the ankle joint

13
Again We Notice!

• Concentric contraction is happening in all of
  these muscle , because we are taking the body
  weight forward upward
• Center of gravity is moving forward upward
• If we are doing upward motion against gravity we
  need concentric contraction to happen

14
But, What If We Are Going Down Stairs?!

• Eccentric contraction will happen in all of the
  previous muscles

15
Another Note

• Ranges of motion will change depending on the
  stair, different stairs causes varying ranges of
  motion.

16
? Good Luck ?