Pedobarographic Analysis in Total Knee Arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Biomechanics
• Gait Analysis

Background:

• Pedobarographic gait analysis assesses lower extremity loading after orthopaedic surgery.
• No prior studies have linked component alignment to pedobarographic changes in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of TKA and prosthetic alignment on pedobarographic gait parameters.
• To evaluate how tibial component position (varus, neutral, valgus) influences plantar loading distribution.

Main Methods:

• Prospective evaluation of 47 TKA patients using pedobarography (pre- and post-surgery).
• Assessment of component positions and categorization into varus, neutral, or valgus tibial alignment groups.
• Comparison of pre- and postoperative pedobarographic data and between alignment groups.

Main Results:

• TKA significantly decreased plantar loading (force and pressure) in operated knees, particularly in the forefoot and midfoot.
• Tibial component alignment influenced loading: varus alignment affected midfoot and hindfoot, while neutral/valgus alignment altered forefoot/midfoot and increased hindfoot loading.
• Statistically significant changes in plantar loading distribution occurred post-TKA, correlating with component alignment.

Conclusions:

• Plantar loading distribution changes significantly after TKA, irrespective of good clinical outcomes.
• Tibial component alignment plays a crucial role in determining postoperative foot loading patterns.
• Pedobarographic evaluation is valuable for understanding gait abnormalities related to component malposition in TKA.