Swing Phase
The portion of the gait cycle during which the foot is not in contact with the ground, comprising approximately 40% of the full cycle.
Full Definition
The swing phase encompasses three sub-phases: initial swing, midswing, and terminal swing. It begins at toe-off and ends at initial contact of the same limb. Orthotic devices must accommodate swing-phase mechanics to avoid toe drag, excessive circumduction, or vaulting. In editorial contexts, swing phase appears in gait analysis reports and clinical indications sections of prescriptions, and must be precisely distinguished from stance phase. Sub-phase names are written as one word when used attributively (e.g., 'midswing clearance').
Usage
Usage note: Two words as a noun phrase; sub-phase names (initial swing, midswing, terminal swing) follow inconsistent hyphenation conventions—defer to the publication's style guide.
In Context
- "Insufficient dorsiflexion assist during the swing phase resulted in recurrent toe drag on the right side." — Orthotic outcome assessment
- "The manuscript used 'float phase' as a synonym for 'swing phase'; the editor standardized all instances to 'swing phase' per the journal's style guide." — Journal manuscript copy-edit