Psoas, iliacus. . . . hip flexors ?
/How many times have you heard us say, “hip flexion in the swing phase of gait is not driven by the hip flexors. In swing phase, the psoas and iliacus complex is not a hip flexor initiator, it is a hip flexion perpetuator/” ?
More evidence … . .
“These experiments also showed that the trailing leg is brought forward during the swing phase without activity in the flexor muscles about the hip joint. This was verified by the absence of EMG activity in the iliacus muscle measured by intramuscular wire electrodes. Instead the strong ligaments restricting hip joint extension are stretched during the first half of the swing phase thereby storing elastic energy, which is released during the last half of the stance phase and accelerating the leg into the swing phase. This is considered an important energy conserving feature of human walking. ”
