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Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
Gait analysis in multiple sclerosis: characterization of temporal-spatial parameters using GAITRite functional
Uri Givon1, Gabriel Zeilig, Anat Achiron
1Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Safra Hospital for Children and Motion Analysis Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel. ugivon@zahav.net.il
Gait & Posture
|October 28, 2008
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients show significant gait impairments, even early in the disease. These gait changes correlate with neurological disability, suggesting gait analysis can guide MS management.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomechanical Engineering
Background:
- Gait impairment is a major challenge in multiple sclerosis (MS), impacting daily activities and function.
- Previous characterizations of MS gait abnormalities involved small patient groups and observational methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively characterize spatio-temporal gait parameters in MS patients.
- To correlate these gait parameters with clinical variables for targeted management strategies.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-one MS patients and 25 healthy controls were assessed using the GAITRite Functional Ambulation System.
- Neurological disability was evaluated using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).
- Gait parameters were compared between groups, and correlations with clinical variables were analyzed.
Main Results:
- MS patients exhibited significant impairments across all spatio-temporal gait parameters compared to controls.
- Functional Ambulation Profile (FAP) scores and gait velocity were significantly lower in MS patients.
- FAP scores negatively correlated with disease duration and EDSS, particularly with pyramidal and cerebellar functional scores.
Conclusions:
- Gait parameters are demonstrably impaired in MS patients, even with short disease duration.
- Impaired gait patterns are linked to neurological disability, highlighting the importance of neurological assessment.
- Accurate gait assessment serves as a valuable tool for monitoring MS progression and informing rehabilitative interventions.
