During terminal swing, the critical event is which of the following?

During terminal swing, the critical event is which of the following?

• A. Toe off
• B. Knee extension to neutral
• C. Passive knee flexion
• D. Heel rise

Answer: (C)

In terminal swing, the leg is being set up for the moment of contact with the ground, so how the knee moves at the end of the swing matters a lot for a smooth, stable foot strike. The critical event here is that the knee flexes passively as the limb slows down and positions itself for heel contact. This passive motion occurs largely due to momentum and the way the leg decelerates before contact, rather than through active, rapid knee extension. That passive knee flexion helps ensure the foot clears the ground during swing and lands in alignment, ready for the loading response. Toe off happens earlier in the gait cycle during pre-swing, not at the end of the swing. Heel rise is a stance-phase event, occurring as the body prepares to push off. Knee extension toward neutral is part of the preparation for contact but is typically a controlled transition preceded by the passive flexion that sets up a stable, efficient heel strike.

In terminal swing, the leg is being set up for the moment of contact with the ground, so how the knee moves at the end of the swing matters a lot for a smooth, stable foot strike. The critical event here is that the knee flexes passively as the limb slows down and positions itself for heel contact. This passive motion occurs largely due to momentum and the way the leg decelerates before contact, rather than through active, rapid knee extension. That passive knee flexion helps ensure the foot clears the ground during swing and lands in alignment, ready for the loading response.

Toe off happens earlier in the gait cycle during pre-swing, not at the end of the swing. Heel rise is a stance-phase event, occurring as the body prepares to push off. Knee extension toward neutral is part of the preparation for contact but is typically a controlled transition preceded by the passive flexion that sets up a stable, efficient heel strike.