Article

OBJECTIVE: To compare time-distance, kinematic, and kinetic gait parameters in
patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) off dopaminergic therapy with a
group of healthy control subjects. DESIGN: A group-comparison study. SETTING:
Gait analysis laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with PD (n=20) and healthy
age-matched controls (n=20). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURES: Time-distance, kinematic, and kinetic gait variables. RESULTS: PD
patients walked slower with shorter stride-length, comparable cadence, and longer
double support times. Kinematics showed a reduction of the range of motion in the
hip, knee, and ankle joints. Maximum hip extension and the ankle plantar flexion
were significantly reduced. Kinetic gait parameters showed reduced push-off ankle
power and lift-off hip power generation. Strong correlations between these
important body advancement mechanisms and the walking velocity were observed.
CONCLUSIONS: In addition to previously described dysfunctional kinematics,
abnormal kinetic parameters play an important role in the characterization of
gait in PD patients off therapy. Hence, these parameters could be used to
document treatment effects of parkinsonian gait disorders.

Langue : ANGLAIS