In Trendelenburg gait, what compensatory strategy helps reduce the hip abductor moment?

• A. Increased hip hiking
• B. Contralateral trunk lean toward the swing leg
• C. Lateral trunk shift over the stance leg
• D. Shortened stance time

Answer: (C)

In Trendelenburg gait, weakness of the hip abductors on the stance leg makes it hard to keep the pelvis level as you weight that leg. A common and effective way to compensate is to shift the trunk laterally toward the stance leg. This lateral trunk shift brings the body's center of gravity closer to the stance hip, reducing the lever arm of the ground reaction force about the hip joint. With a smaller lever arm, the external hip abduction moment the weak abductors must counter is reduced, making it easier to keep the pelvis level during stance.

That’s why this option best explains the compensatory strategy. Hip hiking helps with foot clearance but doesn’t lessen the hip abductor demand; leaning toward the swing leg would increase the needed moment, and shortening stance time doesn’t specifically reduce the abductor torque.