Pathological gait in partial foot amputation versus peripheral neuropathy.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Neurology

Background:

• Partial foot amputation (PFA) often results from peripheral neuropathy (PN), leading to complex gait dysfunctions.
• Compensatory mechanisms in PFA gait are not fully understood, necessitating detailed analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare pathological gait compensation mechanisms in individuals with PFA due to PN versus PN alone.
• To utilize comprehensive gait analysis to evaluate differences in load distribution and other gait parameters.

Main Methods:

• Gait analysis of 53 participants (25 with PFA, 28 with PN) using plantar pressure and ground reaction forces.
• Measurements included load distribution, footprint characteristics, foot progression angle, and stance time at self-preferred walking speed.

Main Results:

• The PFA group showed significantly reduced load over toes and metatarsal heads (p<.003).
• Increased load over the mid-foot and higher peak plantar pressure during mid-stance were observed in the PFA group (p<.016).
• No significant differences were found in other measured gait variables between groups (p>.05).

Conclusions:

• Both PFA and PN groups redistribute loads posteriorly to compensate for forefoot insufficiency.
• The PFA group demonstrated more pronounced compensatory alterations compared to the PN group.
• Underlying systemic disease (PN) appears to be the primary driver of altered gait, with PFA potentially worsening compensatory mechanisms.