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Updated: May 12, 2025
Clinical-oriented Three-dimensional Gait Analysis Method for Evaluating Gait Disorder
Published on: March 4, 2018
Quantification of gait impairment using the gait profile and variable score in children with cerebral palsy
C Boulard1, S Tavoosi2, A Ravel2
1Université Jean Monnet de Saint-Etienne, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, EA 7424, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; Department of Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Saint-Etienne University Hospital, Boulevard Pasteur 42055, Saint-Etienne, France.
Background:
gait kinematic parameters of children with unilateral and bilateral cerebral palsy must be characterized separately by a statistical index with promising psychometric properties. The objective of this study was to compare both forms of cerebral palsy using the gait profile score and gait variable score.
Methods:
Gait profile score of 47 children with cerebral palsy classified with a Gross Motor Function Classification System level I-III were retrospectively calculated from gait analysis. Statistical analysis were used to compare (1) gait profile score between level I and II, (2) gait profile and variable score between children with unilateral (n = 28) and bilateral (n = 16) forms as well as their difference between both limbs for each subgroup (significance level of 0.05).
Findings:
The gait profile score was significantly different between level I and II (p ≤ 0.021). No significant difference was found for gait profile score between both subgroups (p = 0.72) or between both limbs of children with bilateral form (p = 0.85). The gait profile score was significantly higher for the paretic compared to the non-paretic limb of children with unilateral form (p < 0.005). Significant differences were found for some gait variable score between subgroups (p < 0.05).
Interpretation:
The gait profile score can distinguish altered kinematic gait parameters in paretic from non-paretic limb in children with unilateral form. The gait variable score helps to localize the largest kinematic impairment.
