A combined method for binning coupling angles to define coordination patterns.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Movement Science
• Clinical Gait Analysis

Background:

• Vector coding quantifies joint coordination during cyclic activities like walking.
• Existing methods (Chang et al., Needham et al.) categorize coordination patterns using "coupling angle binning" with differing strengths.
• Chang's method identifies general patterns, while Needham's method highlights dominant contributors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel vector coding method (SRC method) integrating binning categories from both Chang and Needham.
• To compare the SRC method with existing methods for quantifying knee-ankle coordination in the sagittal plane during gait.
• To demonstrate the SRC method's utility in analyzing across-plane coordination (sagittal-coronal) of the forefoot in an individual with clubfoot.

Main Methods:

• Developed the SRC method, combining bin categories from Chang et al. and Needham et al.
• Applied the SRC method, Chang's method, and Needham's method to quantify knee-ankle coordination in healthy and clubfoot individuals during gait.
• Evaluated sagittal-coronal coordination of the forefoot in a clubfoot individual using all three methods.

Main Results:

• The SRC method provides a more comprehensive description of coordination compared to existing methods.
• The combined approach successfully identifies both general coordination patterns and dominant contributors.
• The study demonstrated the SRC method's effectiveness in across-plane coordination analysis and clinical application for clubfoot.

Conclusions:

• The SRC binning method offers a more complete description of joint and segment coordination by integrating diverse binning categories.
• This novel method enhances the understanding of complex movement patterns, particularly in clinical populations.
• The findings support the SRC method as a valuable tool for gait analysis and clinical assessment.