Gluteus maximus begins activity in terminal swing primarily to do what?

Gluteus maximus begins activity in terminal swing primarily to do what?

• A. Dorsiflex the ankle
• B. Initiate hip extension and prepare for weight acceptance
• C. Flex the knee to 60°
• D. Pronate the subtalar joint

Answer: (B)

In walking, muscle timing during the transition from swing to stance is crucial. The gluteus maximus acts as a hip extensor to prepare the leg for weight bearing as it makes contact with the ground. In terminal swing, the thigh is still moving forward and hip flexion is nearing its end, so firing the gluteus maximus starts hip extension right before foot strike. This helps slow the forward motion of the thigh, brings the hip into a more extended, stable position at initial contact, and supports smooth weight acceptance and pelvic/trunk stability as the body shifts onto that leg. Dorsiflexing the ankle is done by the ankle dorsiflexors, not the gluteus maximus. Flexing the knee to 60° is not what the gluteus maximus does—it’s more about hip movement than knee flexion. Pronation of the subtalar joint pertains to the foot, not the hip, so that action isn’t related to this muscle’s role in late swing.

In walking, muscle timing during the transition from swing to stance is crucial. The gluteus maximus acts as a hip extensor to prepare the leg for weight bearing as it makes contact with the ground. In terminal swing, the thigh is still moving forward and hip flexion is nearing its end, so firing the gluteus maximus starts hip extension right before foot strike. This helps slow the forward motion of the thigh, brings the hip into a more extended, stable position at initial contact, and supports smooth weight acceptance and pelvic/trunk stability as the body shifts onto that leg.

Dorsiflexing the ankle is done by the ankle dorsiflexors, not the gluteus maximus. Flexing the knee to 60° is not what the gluteus maximus does—it’s more about hip movement than knee flexion. Pronation of the subtalar joint pertains to the foot, not the hip, so that action isn’t related to this muscle’s role in late swing.