Table 1.
Operational Definitions of Gait Parameters
| Gait Parameter | Operational Definition |
|---|---|
| Spatial Parameters | |
| Step Length (cm) | • Anterior-posterior distance from the heel of one footprint to the heel of the opposite footprint |
| Stride Length (cm) | • Anterior-posterior distance between heels of two consecutive footprints of the same foot (left to left, right to right); two steps (e.g., a right step followed by a left step) comprise one stride or one gait cycle |
| Step Width (cm) | • Lateral distance from heel center of one footprint to the line of progression formed by two consecutive footprints of the opposite foot |
| Temporal Parameters | |
| Cadence (steps/min) | • Number of steps per minute, sometimes referred to as step rate |
| Step Time (s) | • Time elapsed from initial contact of one foot to initial contact of the opposite foot |
| Stride Time (s) | • Time elapsed between the initial contacts of two consecutive footfalls of the same foot |
| Stance Time (s) | • The stance phase is the weight bearing portion of each gait cycle initiated at heel contact and ending at toe off of the same foot; stance time is the time elapsed between the initial contact and the last contact of a single footfall |
| Swing Time (s) | • The swing phase is initiated with toe off and ends with initial contact of the same foot; swing time is the time elapsed between the last contact of the current footfall to the initial contact of the next footfall of the same foot |
| Single Support Time (s) | • Single support occurs when only one foot is in contact with the ground; single support time is the time elapsed between the last contact of the opposite footfall to the initial contact of the next footfall of the same foot |
| Double Support Time (s) | • Double support occurs when both feet are in contact with the ground simultaneously; double support time is the sum of the time elapsed during two periods of double support in the gait cycle |
| Temporophasic Parameters | |
| Stance Time (%GC) | • Stance time normalized to stride time |
| Swing Time (%GC) | • Swing time normalized to stride time |
| Single Support Time (%GC) | • Single support time normalized to stride time |
| Double Support Time (%GC) | • Double support time normalized to stride time |
| Spatiotemporal Parameters | |
| Gait Speed (cm/s) | • Calculated by dividing the distance walked by the ambulation time |
| Stride Speed (cm/s) | • Calculated by dividing stride length by the stride time |
Note: cm = centimeters; s = seconds; %GC = % gait cycle