Gait analysis in osteoarthritis of the hip.

Background: Several characteristic groups of changes can be observed during full instrumental evaluation of gait in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip. However, this procedure is expensive and causes patient discomfort. We attempted to determine the most clinically useful parameters of gait changes in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip measured by pedobarography, a simple and non-invasive technique.

Material/methods: 30 patients of both genders, 51-78 years of age, were included in the study. Each patient was tested for static and dynamic gait parameters using an EMED SF-4 force platform (Novel, Germany), with a grid of force transducers registering the pattern of forces exerted by the sole of the foot on ground contact.

Results: Significant differences were observed in step length. Small but statistically significant differences were observed for total ground contact area between the results obtained for the affected and helthy leg. Maximum ground reaction measured for the whole foot and ground contact time was not significantly different between the limbs. Statistically significant differences were observed for maximum pressure and area under the pressure/contact time curve. In evaluating the gaitline (a line representing the maximum dynamic force from initial contact to push-off), 25 of 30 patients had an abnormal result for the affected leg, whereas the healthy leg was abnormal in 16 of 30 patients.

Conclusions: Gait abnormalities in patients with hip osteoarthritis are mainly observable in asymmetry of weight-bearing and asymmetry of step length. Pedobarography is a clinically suitable diagnostic tool.