Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The influence of walking speed on kinetic and kinematic parameters in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip using a force-instrumented treadmill and standardised gait speeds

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

It is difficult to identify objective parameters for assessing the joint function when dealing with the evaluation of orthopaedic procedures, especially endoprosthetic hip replacement. Clinical gait analysis enables parameters of force and movement to be quantified. However, the influence of gait speed on these parameters has hardly been taken into consideration so far. The objective of the present study was therefore to investigate the effect of gait speed on gait parameters and to simplify the clinical conditions in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip by determining a standardised gait speed.

Methods

A total of 28 patients with severe unilateral osteoarthritis of the hip were investigated at different gait speeds. The gait analysis equipment used consisted of an infinitely adjustable treadmill with force plates and an infrared video system. A special control mechanism permitted adjustment of the treadmill speed to a patient's self-determined pace.

Results

The mean gait speed of all patients with osteoarthritis of the hip was set at 2.20 km/h (0.61 m/s). Eight of the 10 gait parameters assessed increased significantly with changing gait speed. Pathological changes in gait patterns were found at the three gait speeds investigated, with the changes more accentuated at higher speeds.

Conclusions

Dependence of gait parameters on gait speed could be concluded for a group of patients and for control subjects. Use of a force-instrumented treadmill is necessary for the setting of a standard gait speed, which should be set as high as achievable by patients without inducing pain and problems of coordination or balance. With the usage of standardised speeds, clinical gait analysis becomes easier to perform. Furthermore, one can assess the expected biomechanical advantages of newer prostheses, thus providing the surgeon with a basis for further decisions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Alton F, Baldey L, Caplan S, Morrissey MC (1998) A kinematic comparison of overground and treadmill walking. Clin Biomech 13:434–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Andersson GBJ, Andriacchi TP, Galante JO (1981) Correlations between changes in gait and in clinical status after knee arthroplasty. Acta Orthop Scand 52:569–573

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Berman AT, Quinn RH, Zarro VJ (1991) Quantitative gait analysis in unilateral and bilateral total hip replacement. Arch Phys Med Rehab 72:190–194

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Chao EY, Laughman RK, Schneider E, Staffer RN (1983) Normative data of the knee joint motion and ground reaction forces in adult level walking. J Biomech 16:219–233

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Elliot BC, Blanksby BA (1976) A cinematographic analysis of overground and treadmill running by males and females. Med Sci Sport 8:84–88

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Försterling L, Tscheuner R (1995) Symmetrievergleich des Ganges—eine Methode für die Beurteilung der prothetischen Versorgung. Orthop Technik 9:753–756

    Google Scholar 

  7. Groh H, Baumann W (1968) Kinematische Bewegungsanalyse. In: Biomechanics. Karger, Basel, pp 23–32

  8. Hatanaka Y, Takai S, Hase H, Kubo S, Hirasawa Y (1994) Kinematic gait analysis of patients after total knee arthroplasty. In: Hirasawa Y, Sledge CB, Woo SLY (eds) Clinical biomechanics and related research. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 401–411

  9. Kadaba MP, Ramakrishnan HK, Wootten ME (1990) Measurement of lower extremity kinematics during level walking. J Orthop Res 8:383–392

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Krämer KL, Maichl FP (1993) Scores, Bewertungsschemata und Klassifikationen in Orthopädie und Traumatologie. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 190–191, 219

  11. Kroll MA, Otis JC, Sculco TP, Lee AC, Paget SA, Bruckenstein R, Jensen DA (1989) The relationship of stride characteristics to pain before and after total knee arthroplasty. Clin Orthop 239:191–195

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kyriazis V, Rigas C (2002) Temporal gait analysis of hip osteoarthritic patients operated with cementless hip replacement. Clin Biomech 17:318–321

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Mainka C, Boenick U (1994) Integrierte Gangbildanalyse mit Hilfe eines Laufbandergometers. Orthop Technik 7:682–689

    Google Scholar 

  14. Murray MP, Drought AB, Kory RC (1964) Walking patterns of normal men. J Bone Joint Surg 46A:335–359

    Google Scholar 

  15. Murray MP, Gore DR, Clarkson BH (1971) Walking patterns of patients with unilateral hip pain due to osteoarthritis and avascular necrosis. J Bone Joint Surg Am 53:259–273

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Perka C, Möckel G, Boenick U (2000) Kinetische und kinematische Ganganalyse vor und nach Knietotalendoprothesenimplantation. Z Orthop 3:191–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Rösler J, Perka C (2000) The effect of anatomical positional relationships on kinetic parameters after total hip replacement. Int Orthop 24:23–27

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Wall JC, Charteris J (1981) A kinematic study of long-term habituation to treadmill walking. Ergonomics 24:531–542

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. White SC, Yack HJ, Tucker CA, Lin HY (1998) Comparison of vertical ground reaction forces during overground and treadmill walking. Med Sci Sports Exerc 30:1537–1542

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Prof. U. Boenick of the Technische Universität of Berlin for providing access to the gait laboratory and assistance in data evaluation. Furthermore, we wish to thank Devakara Epari of the Research Laboratory at the Clinic of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Charité Berlin, for giving support both in data evaluation and setting up the English version of the manuscript. The experiments and clinical investigations comply with the current German laws.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Department, University Clinic Charité, Medical Faculty, Humboldt University, Schumannstr. 20/21, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Gregor Möckel, Carsten Perka & Karsten Labs

  2. Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, University Clinic Charité, Medical Faculty, Humboldt University, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany

    Georg Duda

Authors
  1. Gregor Möckel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carsten Perka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Karsten Labs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Georg Duda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gregor Möckel.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Möckel, G., Perka, C., Labs, K. et al. The influence of walking speed on kinetic and kinematic parameters in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip using a force-instrumented treadmill and standardised gait speeds. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 123, 278–282 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-003-0513-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-003-0513-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation