Abstract
Aims: Purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate changes of pressure distribution during walking and joint movement after clubfootoperation. Methods: For this analysis the VICON 512 motion system including 12 cameras and 2 KISTLER force plates were used. Pressure distribution under both feet during gait was measured by a pressure sensitive plate (EMED NOVEL pressure plate). Muscle activity of the lateral and medial gastrocnemicus, anterior tibialis and longer peroneal muscles was registered by surface EMG using BIOVISION. The sampling rate of the motion analysis system was set at 120 Hz. Data acquisition of force and EMG signals were performed at 1080 Hz. The kinematic analysis of the human body was represented by a 7-segment model consisting of feet, lower legs, upper legs and pelvis. A set of 16 markers were used to identify the body segments. Results: 20 children with a mean age of 12 years underwent a quantitative 3-dimensional kinematic and kinetic gait analysis. Regarding to gait pattern a wide range from normal to equinal was found. Measurement of the pressure distribution during walking showed maximum pressure at different foot regions. There were only a few children with “normal” gait pattern. The striking gait pattern was combined with higher dorsalflexion in the ankle joint, missing extension and higher flexion in the knee joint. A lower extension in the hip joint was also found. Conclusions: A wide range of gait pattern was found during 3-dimensional analysis after clubfoot-operation by using the Imhaeuser method. Reasons could be the rehabilitation after operation and different daily activities of life. Work in progress is still the comparison with other methods.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
