Article

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) manifests itself in the foot and ankle of RA patients.
The foot and ankle joint kinematics of these patients differ from that of healthy
subjects. However, the factors that lead to these differences are not yet fully
understood. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of walking speed and
the disease process on foot and ankle joint kinematics of RA subjects. Gait
recordings of 23 RA and 14 age-matched healthy subjects were performed and their
foot and ankle joint kinematics were analysed during the stance phase of the gait
cycle. Stance phase characteristics of the group of RA subjects and of the group
of healthy subjects were compared. The healthy subjects walked at 100% (Vc), 75%
(V75) and 50% (V50) of their comfortable walking speed. In a multi-level linear
model significant differences between the two groups due to the factors walking
speed and the disease process were analysed. The ankle dorsi-flexion, medial arch
and hallux abduction motion at single-stance and toe-off were only influenced by
the walking speed. The hallux maximum flexion at toe-off and the midfoot
supination at single-stance were influenced by both the walking speed and the
disease process. The hindfoot eversion motion at single-stance was only
influenced by the disease process. In conclusion, the reduction of walking speed
of RA subjects compared to healthy subjects does not explain all of the observed
foot and ankle kinematics differences.
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