Article

Muscle strength greatly influences gait kinematics.
The question was
whether this association is similar in different diseases.
METHODS: Data from
instrumented gait analysis of 716 patients were retrospectively assessed. The
effect of muscle strength on gait deviations, namely the gait profile score (GPS)
was evaluated by means of generalised least square models. This was executed for
seven different patient groups. The groups were formed according to the type of
disease: orthopaedic/neurologic, uni-/bilateral affection, and flaccid/spastic
muscles. RESULTS: Muscle strength had a negative effect on GPS values, which did
not significantly differ amongst the different patient groups. However, an offset
of the GPS regression line was found, which was mostly dependent on the basic
disease. Surprisingly, spastic patients, who have reduced strength and
additionally spasticity in clinical examination, and flaccid neurologic patients
showed the same offset. Patients with additional lack of trunk control
(Tetraplegia) showed the largest offset. CONCLUSION: Gait kinematics grossly
depend on muscle strength. This was seen in patients with very different
pathologies. Nevertheless, optimal correction of biomechanics and muscle strength
may still not lead to a normal gait, especially in that of neurologic patients.
The basic disease itself has an additional effect on gait deviations expressed as
a GPS-offset of the linear regression line.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS