The body's COM moves in which three directions during gait?

The body's COM moves in which three directions during gait?

• A. Inversion, eversion, abduction
• B. Medial, superior, and rotational only
• C. Forward, vertical, and side-to-side
• D. Flexion, extension, rotation

Answer: (C)

The center of mass moves in three directions during gait: forward (anterior-posterior), vertical (up and down), and side-to-side (medial-lateral). As you walk, you progress forward, the body’s weight causes the COM to rise and fall slightly with each step, and it shifts side-to-side as weight transfers from one leg to the other to maintain balance. This three-dimensional translation captures how gait involves propulsion, vertical energy exchange, and balance control in harmony. The other options describe joint or foot motions, not the translational directions of the body's center of mass.

The center of mass moves in three directions during gait: forward (anterior-posterior), vertical (up and down), and side-to-side (medial-lateral). As you walk, you progress forward, the body’s weight causes the COM to rise and fall slightly with each step, and it shifts side-to-side as weight transfers from one leg to the other to maintain balance. This three-dimensional translation captures how gait involves propulsion, vertical energy exchange, and balance control in harmony. The other options describe joint or foot motions, not the translational directions of the body's center of mass.