Petros Ismailidis1, Corina Nüesch2, Mara Kaufmann3, Martin Clauss3, Geert Pagenstert4, Anke Eckardt5, Thomas Ilchmann5, Annegret Mündermann2. 1. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: petrosismailidis@gmail.com. 2. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Spine Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 3. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 4. Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Clarahof Clinic of Orthopaedic Surgery, Clarahofweg 19a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland. 5. ENDO-Team, Hirslanden Klinik, Birshof, Reinacherstrasse 28, 4142 Münchenstein, Switzerland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The popularity of inertial sensors in gait analysis is steadily rising. To date, an application of a wearable inertial sensor system for assessing gait in hip osteoarthritis (OA) has not been reported. RESEARCH QUESTION: Can the known kinematic differences between patients with hip OA and asymptomatic control subjects be measured using the inertial sensor system RehaGait®? METHODS: The patients group consisted of 22 patients with unilateral hip OA scheduled for total hip replacement. Forty-five age matched healthy control subjects served as control group. All subjects walked for a distance of 20 m at their self-selected speed. Spatiotemporal parameters and sagittal kinematics at the hip, knee, and ankle including range of motion (ROM) were measured using the RehaGait® system. RESULTS: Patients with hip OA walked at a slower walking speed (-0.18 m/s, P < 0.001) and with shorter stride length (-0.16 m, P < 0.001), smaller hip ROM during stance (-11.6°, P < 0.001) and swing (-11.3°, P < 0.001) and smaller knee ROM during terminal stance and swing (-9.0° and-11.5°, P < 0.001). Patients had a smaller hip ROM during stance and swing and smaller knee ROM during terminal stance and swing in the affected compared to the unaffected side (P < 0.001). SIGNIFICANCE: The differences in spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters between patients with hip OA and age matched control subjects assessed using the inertial sensor system agree with those documented for camera-based systems. Hence, the RehaGait® system can measure gait kinematics characteristic for hip OA, and its use in daily clinical practice is feasible.
BACKGROUND: The popularity of inertial sensors in gait analysis is steadily rising. To date, an application of a wearable inertial sensor system for assessing gait in hip osteoarthritis (OA) has not been reported. RESEARCH QUESTION: Can the known kinematic differences between patients with hip OA and asymptomatic control subjects be measured using the inertial sensor system RehaGait®? METHODS: The patients group consisted of 22 patients with unilateral hip OA scheduled for total hip replacement. Forty-five age matched healthy control subjects served as control group. All subjects walked for a distance of 20 m at their self-selected speed. Spatiotemporal parameters and sagittal kinematics at the hip, knee, and ankle including range of motion (ROM) were measured using the RehaGait® system. RESULTS:Patients with hip OA walked at a slower walking speed (-0.18 m/s, P < 0.001) and with shorter stride length (-0.16 m, P < 0.001), smaller hip ROM during stance (-11.6°, P < 0.001) and swing (-11.3°, P < 0.001) and smaller knee ROM during terminal stance and swing (-9.0° and-11.5°, P < 0.001). Patients had a smaller hip ROM during stance and swing and smaller knee ROM during terminal stance and swing in the affected compared to the unaffected side (P < 0.001). SIGNIFICANCE: The differences in spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters between patients with hip OA and age matched control subjects assessed using the inertial sensor system agree with those documented for camera-based systems. Hence, the RehaGait® system can measure gait kinematics characteristic for hip OA, and its use in daily clinical practice is feasible.