QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF GAIT PATTERN IN HEMIPARETIC PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective: To characterise gait pattern in hemiparetic patients quantitatively using
clinical footprint method.
Design: A case control study.
Subjects: Sixteen hemiparetic patients (12 males and 4 females) aged 16 to 64 years
who attended neurological clinic at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
Main outcome measures: Stride length, step width, foot rotation angle measured using
footprint method.
Results: The difference in mean values of the three variables of gait between affected
and unaffected sides in hemiparetic patients was not significant. However, strides were
significantly longer in controls than in patients (P<0.001) while patients had significantly
broader steps (P<0.02). In the controls, foot was rotated externally in 87.7% of steps
and internally in 14.3% of steps. In the hemiparetic patients, intoeing pattern was
observed in 41.3 % of steps. The difference in variability of stride length and foot angle
between affected and non-affected sides of patients was not significant. Stride-to-stride
variability in stride length in patients was 1.6 times higher than in controls. Variability
of step width and foot progression angle was 1.4 and 1.6 times higher in patients than
in controls.
Conclusion: Footprint method provides fast and inexpensive tool for clinical gait analysis
and is suitable for evaluation of hemiparetic patients. Our findings suggest that areas
of emphasis for physical therapy of hemiparetic patients should include increasing stride
length and decreasing step width and internal rotation of foot, particularly on the
affected side.