Article

Previous studies have indicated that patients with peripheral artery
disease (PAD), display significant differences in their kinetic and kinematic
gait characteristics when compared to healthy, aged-matched controls. The ability
of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to ambulate is also
limited. These limitations are likely due to pathology-driven muscle morphology
and physiology alterations establish in PAD and COP, respectively. Gait changes
in PAD were compared to gait changes due to COPD to further understand how
altered limb muscle due to disease can alter walking patterns. Both groups were
independently compared to healthy controls. It was hypothesized that both
patients with PAD and COPD would demonstrate similar differences in gait when
compared to healthy controls. METHODS: Patients with PAD (n=25), patients with
COPD (n=16), and healthy older control subjects (n=25) performed five walking
trials at self-selected speeds. Sagittal plane joint kinematic and kinetic group
means were compared. RESULTS: Peak values for hip flexion angle, braking impulse,
and propulsive impulse were significantly reduced in patients with symptomatic
PAD compared to patients with COPD. After adjusting for walking velocity,
significant reductions (p<0.05) in the peak values for hip flexion angle,
dorsiflexor moment, ankle power generation, propulsion force, braking impulse,
and propulsive impulse were found in patients with PAD compared to healthy
controls. No significant differences were observed between patients with COPD and
controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that while gait
patterns are impaired for patients with PAD, this is not apparent for patients
with COPD (without PAD). PAD (without COPD) causes changes to the muscle function
of the lower limbs that affects gait even when subjects walk from a fully rested
state. Altered muscle function in patients with COPD does not have a similar
effect.
CI - Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS