Which phase is defined as beginning when the foot lifts off the floor and ending when the same foot contacts the floor?

• A. Stance phase
• B. Swing phase
• C. Cadence
• D. Velocity

Answer: (B)

In walking, the motion is split into stance and swing phases. The swing phase is the period when the foot has left the floor and moves forward to prepare for the next step. It begins at toe-off (the foot lifts off) and ends at initial contact (the same foot touches the floor again). The other term, stance phase, is the time the foot is on the ground from initial contact to toe-off. Cadence is simply the rate of stepping (steps per minute), not a phase, and velocity is the overall speed of movement, not a phase. So the described timing matches the swing phase, which normally makes up about 40% of the gait cycle.