Article

Compensatory trunk movements during gait, such as a Duchenne limp,
are observed frequently in subjects with osteoarthritis of the hip, yet angular
trunk movements are seldom included in clinical gait assessments. Hence, the
objective of this study was to quantify compensatory trunk movements during gait
in subjects with hip osteoarthritis, outside a gait laboratory, using a
body-fixed-sensor based gait analysis. Frontal plane angular movements of the
pelvis and thorax and spatiotemporal parameters of persons who showed a Duchenne
limp during gait were compared to healthy subjects and persons without a Duchenne
limp. METHODS: A Body-fixed-sensor based gait analysis approach was used. Two
body-fixed sensors were positioned at the dorsal side of the pelvis and on the
upper thorax. Peak-to-peak frontal plane range of motion (ROM) and spatiotemporal
parameters (walking speed, step length and cadence) of persons with a Duchenne
limp during gait were compared to healthy subjects and persons without a Duchenne
limp. Participants were instructed to walk at a self-selected low, preferred and
high speed along a hospital corridor. Generalized estimating equations (GEE)
analyses were used to assess group differences between persons with a Duchenne
limp, without a Duchenne limp and healthy subjects. RESULTS: Persons with a
Duchenne limp showed a significantly larger thoracic ROM during walking compared
to healthy subjects and to persons without a Duchenne limp. In both groups of
persons with hip osteoarthritis, pelvic ROM was lower than in healthy subjects.
This difference however only reached significance in persons without a Duchenne
limp. The ratio of thoracic ROM relative to pelvic ROM revealed distinct
differences in trunk movement patterns. Persons with hip osteoarthritis walked at
a significantly lower speed compared to healthy subjects. No differences in step
length and cadence were found between patients and healthy subjects, after
correction for differences in walking speed. CONCLUSIONS: Distinctive patterns of
frontal plane angular trunk movements during gait could be objectively quantified
in healthy subjects and in persons with hip osteoarthritis using a
body-fixed-sensor based gait analysis approach. Therefore, frontal plane angular
trunk movements should be included in clinical gait assessments of persons with
hip osteoarthritis.

Langue : ANGLAIS