Final answer:
The ankle dorsiflexors contract eccentrically during the terminal stance phase of the gait cycle, where they control plantar flexion as the body prepares for the push-off.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ankle dorsiflexors contract eccentrically during the terminal stance phase of the gait cycle. This is when the body is moving over the supporting foot, and the heel begins to lift off the ground.
The role of the dorsiflexors, mainly the tibialis anterior, at this point is to control the rate of plantar flexion as the foot prepares to push off from the ground.
In contrast to the terminal stance, during heel strike the dorsiflexors contract isometrically to stabilize the ankle and during pre-swing and midswing, their activity changes to suit the needs of those phases.