Contralateral pelvic drop
Draft — clinical review requiredIn single-limb stance the pelvis drops on the side of the swinging leg.
Locate — when it occurs
Our event terms, with functional phase names alongside.
- Heel strikeInitial contact
- Foot flatLoading response
- MidstanceMidstance
- Heel offTerminal stance
- Toe offPre-swing
- Feet adjacentInitial swing
- Tibia verticalMid swing
- Heel strike (next)Terminal swing
Go deeper
Open each part when you are ready.
Observe
- Opposite iliac crest drops during stance (rear view).
Example mechanisms
- Reduced hip abductor capacity on the stance side.
- Structural hip changes.
- An observed deviation describes movement; it does not identify a single diagnosis or a single weak muscle.
Possible compensation
- A lateral trunk lean toward the supporting leg can keep the pelvis level (see its own lesson).
What to examine next
- Hip abductor strength and endurance.
- Single-leg stance observation.
- Hip range of motion.
Clinical reasoning sequence
- Observe → Explain possible causes → Examine → Choose an intervention → Reassess.
Connect — related deviations
Apply it
During right single-limb stance, which side of the pelvis drops?
Sources and review status
Draft — clinical review required
Starting points for verification. Validated protocols are linked where available; clinical content has not yet been reviewed.
Learning objectives
- Recognize contralateral pelvic drop and when it occurs in the gait cycle.
- Separate the observed movement from a possible cause and from any compensation.
- Choose examination findings that would help distinguish between causes.