Upper extremity motion during gait in adolescents with structural leg length discrepancy-An exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Gait Analysis
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Structural leg length discrepancy (LLD) necessitates compensatory mechanisms for gait function and energy efficiency.
• Limited research exists on the impact of LLD on upper limb kinematics during walking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate upper limb motion during gait in patients with structural LLD.
• To compare upper limb kinematics between LLD patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of motion capture data from 14 LLD patients and 15 healthy controls.
• Investigation of shoulder, elbow, and trunk kinematic parameters during barefoot walking.
• Assessment of deviations relative to a 5° minimal clinically important difference.

Main Results:

• LLD patients displayed more extended shoulders at initial contact and increased shoulder adduction compared to controls.
• Increased elbow flexion motion was observed in LLD patients.
• LLD patients showed consistent trunk lateral-flexion and axial rotation towards the affected side.

Conclusions:

• Structural LLD leads to clinically relevant secondary deviations in shoulder and elbow motion.
• These deviations may result from passive biomechanical effects or active strategies for balance and momentum regulation.
• Findings enhance understanding of LLD-induced gait alterations and inform future musculoskeletal modeling studies.