During initial contact, the knee flexion is approximately which range?

During initial contact, the knee flexion is approximately which range?

• A. 0-5° flexion
• B. 15-20° flexion
• C. 25-30° flexion
• D. 50° flexion

Answer: (A)

At the moment the foot first contacts the ground, the knee is essentially straight, with only a tiny amount of bend to cushion impact. This near-full extension is about 0 to 5 degrees of knee flexion. If the knee were flexed more (around 15–20 degrees), that would correspond to the loading response as the leg absorbs shock, not initial contact. Greater flexion—25–30 degrees or around 50 degrees—would occur in different phases or tasks (deeper knee bending or squatting), not at the moment of initial contact. So the 0–5 degrees range best matches initial contact.

At the moment the foot first contacts the ground, the knee is essentially straight, with only a tiny amount of bend to cushion impact. This near-full extension is about 0 to 5 degrees of knee flexion. If the knee were flexed more (around 15–20 degrees), that would correspond to the loading response as the leg absorbs shock, not initial contact. Greater flexion—25–30 degrees or around 50 degrees—would occur in different phases or tasks (deeper knee bending or squatting), not at the moment of initial contact. So the 0–5 degrees range best matches initial contact.