Swing phase is the period where

• A. The foot bears weight
• B. The entire gait cycle is completed
• C. The non-weight-bearing phase when the foot is off the ground
• D. The initial contact only

Answer: (C)

In gait analysis, the cycle is divided into stance and swing phases. The swing phase is the non-weight-bearing portion when the foot is off the ground, moving the limb forward in preparation for the next step. It begins after toe-off and ends with heel strike, comprising about 40% of the gait cycle, with the stance phase taking the remaining ~60% when the foot is in contact and bearing weight. The other statements describe parts of the stance phase or a specific moment within it: bearing weight occurs during stance, the entire gait cycle includes both phases (not just swing), and initial contact marks the start of stance rather than swing.