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Stair Gait
Lecture Notes
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:
1. They both involve swing & stance phases
2. Progression of the body is done by alternating movement of
lower extremities
3. Lower extremities must balance and carry HAT (head, arms,
trunk)
4. 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
Stair Gait
 Stair gate is different than level-ground gait:
1.
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
2. The subphases of stance & swing phase are different
Phases of Stair Gait
 Stance phase includes:
 Swing phase includes:
1. Weight Acceptance
2. Pull Up
3. Forward Continuation
1. Foot Clearance
2. Foot Placement
Stance Phase
1- 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
Stance Phase
2- 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
Stance Phase
3- 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
¿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
Swing Phase
1- 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
Stair Gait
Range 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
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
Stair Gait
Range 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
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
But, What If We Are Going Down
Stairs?!
 Eccentric contraction will happen in all of the
previous muscles
Another Note
 Ranges of motion will change depending on the stair,
different stairs causes varying ranges of motion.
 Good Luck 