During which phase of gait is the greatest ankle dorsiflexion required?

During which phase of gait is the greatest ankle dorsiflexion required?

• A. Initial Contact
• B. Midstance
• C. Terminal Stance
• D. Swing

Answer: (B)

In weight-bearing stance, the biggest demand for moving the ankle into dorsiflexion comes as the body weight passes over the stance foot and the tibia advances forward over the planted foot. This occurs during midstance, when the heel is on the ground and the body travels over the foot, requiring the ankle to dorsiflex enough to allow tibial progression and maintain a stable ankle alignment for forward propulsion. In terminal stance the ankle moves into plantarflexion to push off, and in swing, dorsiflexion is used mainly to clear the foot but the overall angular demand is less than the weight-bearing dorsiflexion needed in midstance. So the phase with the greatest dorsiflexion demand is midstance.

In weight-bearing stance, the biggest demand for moving the ankle into dorsiflexion comes as the body weight passes over the stance foot and the tibia advances forward over the planted foot. This occurs during midstance, when the heel is on the ground and the body travels over the foot, requiring the ankle to dorsiflex enough to allow tibial progression and maintain a stable ankle alignment for forward propulsion. In terminal stance the ankle moves into plantarflexion to push off, and in swing, dorsiflexion is used mainly to clear the foot but the overall angular demand is less than the weight-bearing dorsiflexion needed in midstance. So the phase with the greatest dorsiflexion demand is midstance.