Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 4, 2026
09:01
Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis with Total Ankle Replacement Through a Lateral Transfibular Approach
Published on: January 24, 2018
12.0K
Ankle arthroplasty and ankle arthrodesis: gait analysis compared with normal controls
Syndie Singer1, Susan Klejman2, Ellie Pinsker1
1Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital, 55 Queen St. East, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M5C 1R6, Canada. E-mail address for T. Daniels: danielst@smh.ca.
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume
|December 20, 2013
Summary
Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) more closely restores normal gait patterns than ankle arthrodesis, though neither fully normalizes function. Patient outcomes were similar, but TAA showed improved motion, indicating potential for prosthesis design improvements.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Biomechanics
- Gait Analysis
Background:
- End-stage ankle osteoarthritis significantly impacts patient mobility and quality of life.
- Surgical interventions like total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) and ankle arthrodesis aim to alleviate pain and restore function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare gait patterns and patient-reported outcomes after TAA versus ankle arthrodesis.
- To evaluate functional differences between surgical treatments and a healthy control group.
Main Methods:
- Gait analysis and validated outcome questionnaires were used.
- Seventeen patients post-TAA, seventeen post-arthrodesis, and ten controls were analyzed.
Main Results:
- TAA patients exhibited greater sagittal plane motion and tibial tilt than arthrodesis patients.
- Neither TAA nor arthrodesis fully normalized gait patterns or power generation compared to controls.
- Patient-reported outcome scores (Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale, SF-36) showed similar improvements in both groups.
Conclusions:
- TAA more closely mimics normal gait compared to arthrodesis, primarily due to increased dorsal motion.
- Despite gait differences, subjective outcomes were comparable, suggesting TAA may offer functional advantages.
- Further research is needed to understand limitations in plantar flexion and power generation post-TAA for future prosthesis development.
