Muscles & Bones involved in Walking

Locomotion is the ability to move from one place to another. In humans,

walking is the main method
of locomotion. Walking
involves all the joints of the
lower limb, and is
characterised by an
inverted pendulum
motion, in which the body
vaults over the non-moving
limb.

Walking is a cycle which contains 2 phases:

1) Stance phase: Accounts for 60% of the gait cycle. It can be divided
into the heel strike, support and toe-off phases.
2) Swing phase:
Accounts for 40% of the
cycle. It can be divided
into the leg lift and
swing phases.

Overall, there are 5

stages in walking:
1) Heel Strike:In the heel-strike stage, the foot hits the ground heel first. There are three
muscles/muscle sets involved, each muscle acting at a different joint:

Gluteus maximus acts on the hip to decelerate the lower limb

Quadriceps femoris - keeps the leg extended at the knee and hip

Anterior compartment of the leg maintains the ankle

dorsiflexion, positioning the heel for the strike

2) Support:After the heel strike stage, the leading leg hits the ground, and the
muscles work to cope with the force passing through the leg. This is
known as the support stage.

Quadriceps femoris - keeps the leg extended, accepting the

weight of the body

Foot inverters and everters contract in a balanced manner to

stabilize the foot

Gluteus minimus, medius and tensor fascia lata abduct the

lower limb, keeping the pelvis level counteracting the imbalance
created by having most of the bodyweight on one leg

3) Toe-off:-

In the toe-off phase, the foot prepares to leave the ground heel first,
toes last.

Hamstring muscles extends the leg at the hip

Quadriceps femoris - maintains the extended position of the knee

Posterior compartment of the leg plantarflexes the ankle. The

prime movers include gastrocnemius, soleus and tibialis posterior

4) Leg lift:Once the foot has left the ground, the lower limb is raised in preparation
for the swing stage.

Iliopsoas and rectus femoris flexes the lower limb at the hip,
driving the knee forwards

Hamstring muscles flexes the lower limb at the knee joint

Anterior compartment of the leg dorsiflexes the ankle

5) Swing:In the swing phase, the raised leg is propelled forward. This is where the
forward motion of the walk occurs.

Iliopsoas and rectus femoris keep the hip flexed, resisting

gravity as it tries to pull the leg down

Quadriceps femoris extends the knee, positioning the foot for

landing

Anterior compartment of the leg maintains ankle dorsiflexion

so that the heel is in place for landing
Next, the heel hits the ground, and the whole cycle repeats.
The Bones That Support Walking
The bones that support walking include those of the feet such as the
metatarsals, tarsals and the phalanges bones; the ankle bones; bones in
the legs that include the femur, fibula, tibia and patella; and the hipbones.
Of course, all of these bones support the movement of walking, but
additionally, walking helps to fortify the body's skeletal system.
The Nerves That Send the Messages for Walking
The spinal cord is information central in terms of the nerves involved with
walking. The spinal nerves in and at the base of the spinal cord directly
affect the walking motion. The specific nerves that support the body's
fundamental mobility are the thoracic spinal nerves, lumbar spinal nerves,
cervical spinal nerves and the small sacral spinal nerves. All of these
nerves work to send neurological messages to the appropriate fibers that
allow you to propel yourself forward when you choose to.