Approximately how many centimeters is vertical COM displacement during normal gait?

Approximately how many centimeters is vertical COM displacement during normal gait?

• A. 1 cm
• B. 10 cm
• C. 5 cm
• D. 20 cm

Answer: (C)

During normal walking, the body's center of mass moves up and down only modestly to conserve energy. The vertical excursion is about five centimeters in healthy adults. This small displacement comes from the way the gait cycle uses the stance leg as a supportive, pendulum-like mechanism, trading kinetic and potential energy efficiently as you progress. Values much smaller (around 1 cm) would underrepresent typical walking, while larger amounts (around 10 cm or 20 cm) are more indicative of running or atypical gaits. So the best estimate is roughly five centimeters.

During normal walking, the body's center of mass moves up and down only modestly to conserve energy. The vertical excursion is about five centimeters in healthy adults. This small displacement comes from the way the gait cycle uses the stance leg as a supportive, pendulum-like mechanism, trading kinetic and potential energy efficiently as you progress. Values much smaller (around 1 cm) would underrepresent typical walking, while larger amounts (around 10 cm or 20 cm) are more indicative of running or atypical gaits. So the best estimate is roughly five centimeters.