Article

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) typically walk slower, have reduced
cadences and shorter step lengths. While these spatiotemporal gait alterations
have been thought to be due to decreased power generation at the ankle, the
distribution of mechanical work across the ankle, knee and hip joints during
walking is not well understood. By quantifying the mechanical work at each joint,
the compensatory mechanisms utilized by individuals with MS to maintain gait
speed may be better understood. Fifteen subjects with MS (EDSS: 4.4+/-1.0) and
fifteen healthy age-matched control subjects completed a three-dimensional gait
analysis. The net mechanical work at the ankle, knee and hip joints was
quantified for the stance phase of gait. Our results found that the less impaired
leg of the subjects with MS generated a similar amount of mechanical work as the
control group; however, the ankle joint produced less positive mechanical work,
and the hip joint generated more positive mechanical work. Additionally, the less
impaired leg of the subjects with MS and the leg of the control group generated
more positive work than the more impaired leg of the subjects with MS. These
outcomes suggest that individuals with MS may adopt a hip compensatory strategy
with their less impaired leg during gait due to the limited amount of mechanical
work generated at the ankle.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS