In gait analysis, midstance is defined as the period between which events?

• A. From heel strike to foot flat.
• B. Between opposite side toe off and heel lift of the same side.
• C. From toe-off of the same side to heel strike.
• D. From heel rise to toe-off.

Answer: (B)

Midstance is the portion of the stance phase when the body’s weight is directly over the foot that remains planted. It starts after the opposite foot has finished its toe-off and ends when the same foot’s heel begins to lift off the ground. This timing captures the moment you’re balancing over the stance leg before propulsion begins. The other descriptions correspond to different parts of the gait cycle: the initial contact to the foot becoming flat is the loading phase early in stance, the interval from toe-off of the same side to heel strike spans the later swing into the next step, and the period from heel rise to toe-off is the terminal portion right before push-off.