Defining varus thrust assessment and measurement: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Orthopedics
• Gait Analysis

Background:

• Knee varus thrust during walking is a significant biomechanical factor.
• Understanding its classification and quantification is crucial for clinical assessment and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and evaluate methodologies for classifying and quantifying knee varus thrust during walking.
• To assess the reliability, validity, and prevalence of varus thrust in existing literature.

Main Methods:

• A systematic scoping review of five electronic databases was conducted.
• Studies reporting varus thrust during adult gait were included and data extracted by two independent reviewers.
• Synthesis focused on classification methods, prevalence, reliability, and validity.

Main Results:

• Fifty-nine studies were included, using observational methods, 3D motion capture, or wearable sensors.
• Reliability was reported in 27% of studies (kappa 0.46-0.92).
• Prevalence varied widely (16%-81.8%) due to diverse definitions and methodologies.

Conclusions:

• Diverse methodologies exist for classifying and quantifying knee varus thrust.
• Inconsistent reporting of reliability and validity limits current understanding.
• Methodology significantly impacts reported prevalence rates of knee varus thrust.