SACH-SAWCH

If our body mass is intermittently slowed, then the graph likewise flattens and looks like a stairway . So, for many reasons this is called STEPPING and not walking . Walking has right-left energy transfer which conserves energy which is kinetic in the pendulum mechanisms of the legs. The swinging leg is a dampened double pendulum while the stance leg is a vertical pendulum (metronome). If these pendulums do not match there is no walking . It becomes stepping . With stepping, nothing gets an energy boost nudge or pull from the other side. Every bit of movement must be consciously muscularly moved, totally. Each step portion becomes a self contained event. There is no energy conservation in stepping.

Stepping can get even worse if stance is unstable. In that case the needed vertical stability must be supplied by additional sustained muscular stabilizing effort (or by a brace).

Stability is the enemy of MOMENTUM ( & mobility ) Braces / AFOs can kill walking by sapping energy through excessive stability , as well as loss of sensibility needed for control and knowing when to transfer energy, and by promoting a difficult rollover fulcrum (toe plates, typical ankle hinges etc). Too free, allows REFLEX kick-back that DECREASES the functional arc. If you prescribe AFOs and think that all AFOs should have ankle hinges, then add yourself to the problem list (in depth later).