Gait during real-world challenges: Gait initiation, gait termination, acceleration, deceleration, turning, slopes, and stairs

Abstract

The gait of daily living involves more than walking straight ahead at constant speed. To be functional in the real world, individuals must competently maneuver over slopes and stairs, and around corners to reach their desired destinations. These forms of walking are more challenging than walking straight ahead, and often gait pathologies are more apparent. Specific strategies are often used to walk on slopes, stairs, and around corners that involves changes in speed, foot placement, joint kinetics, and stride length - all of which challenge stability and economy to a much greater degree than walking straight ahead at constant speed.