Assessment of gait patterns in breast cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study

Breast Cancer Survivors (BCs) often exhibit impaired mobility, balance deficits, and reduced gait speed at functional tests.

To assess gait patterns in a population of BCs by comparing spatiotemporal (ST) gait measures with those of healthy subjects.

Cross-sectional study.

Outpatient rehabilitation services of the Breast Unit and the Motion Analysis Laboratory at the Neurorehabilitation Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Italy.

Twenty-three BCs (BCs-group), who completed active oncological treatments at least 3 months prior to study enrolment, and 16 age-matched healthy female controls (HC).

All subjects underwent 3-D gait analysis. ST measures of gait were compared between BCs-group and HC. Intra-patient comparisons were made between the operated and the contralateral side. BCs-group was then stratified into two sub-groups according to time from surgery (<12 months; >12 months) and compared to HC.

Results obtained provide evidence that BCs display an abnormal gait pattern characterized by slower gait velocity (0.66±0.21 vs. 0.89±0.22 m/s, P<0.01), shorter step length (0.48±0.10 vs. 0.54±0.07 m; P<0.05) and stride length (0.90±0.16 vs. 1.07±0.14 m; P<0.01), and increased step width (0.12±0.03 vs. 0.10±0.03 m; P<0.01). Cadence was also reduced (81.12±13.68 vs. 98.78±12.48 steps/min; P<0.01) while time of stance (63.1±3.7 vs. 57.69±3.69%; P<0.01) and double support time (14.53±4.85 vs. 8.39±2.87%; P<0.01) were significantly prolonged. The intrapatient analysis of ST measures between the operated and unoperated side revealed no significant differences, but abnormal step length and step width were found only on the operated side. Altered ST parameters were already detectable within 12 months from breast surgery.

A slower and less stable gait pattern develops early after BC treatments, and it can be detected by assessment of ST measures within 12 months from breast surgery.

Early tailored rehabilitation may help prevent gait deterioration and reduce fall risk in BCs.