Which gait parameter reflects the side-to-side movements of the body's center of mass?

Which gait parameter reflects the side-to-side movements of the body's center of mass?

• A. Step width
• B. Step length
• C. Cadence
• D. Stride time

Answer: (A)

The side-to-side movements of the body's center of mass show up as how wide apart the feet land during walking. This is captured by step width—the lateral distance between successive foot placements. It reflects how much the body sways side to side and how large a base of support is needed to keep balance. A wider step width means more lateral movement (and a larger base of support) to improve stability, while a narrower step width reduces lateral excursion. In contrast, step length measures how far you move forward with each step, not how far you move side to side. Cadence is simply the rate of stepping (steps per minute), and stride time is the temporal duration of a full gait cycle—neither directly describes lateral COM movement.

The side-to-side movements of the body's center of mass show up as how wide apart the feet land during walking. This is captured by step width—the lateral distance between successive foot placements. It reflects how much the body sways side to side and how large a base of support is needed to keep balance. A wider step width means more lateral movement (and a larger base of support) to improve stability, while a narrower step width reduces lateral excursion.

In contrast, step length measures how far you move forward with each step, not how far you move side to side. Cadence is simply the rate of stepping (steps per minute), and stride time is the temporal duration of a full gait cycle—neither directly describes lateral COM movement.