Three-dimensional knee kinematic analysis during treadmill gait: Slow imposed speed versus normal self-selected speed

N Mannering; T Young; T Spelman; P F Choong

doi:10.1302/2046-3758.68.BJR-2016-0296.R1

Three-dimensional knee kinematic analysis during treadmill gait: Slow imposed speed versus normal self-selected speed

Bone Joint Res. 2017 Aug;6(8):514-521. doi: 10.1302/2046-3758.68.BJR-2016-0296.R1.

Authors

N Mannering¹, T Young², T Spelman³, P F Choong⁴

Affiliations

¹ The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Medical School, Melbourne, 3010 Victoria, Australia ncmannering@gmail.com.
² Department of Orthopaedics, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Level 3 Daly Wing, 35 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, 3065 Victoria, Australia.
³ Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Level 2 Clinical Sciences Building, 29 Regent Street, Fitzroy, 3065 Victoria, Australia.
⁴ University of Melbourne Department of Surgery, Director of Orthopaedics, Department of Orthropaedics, The University of Melbourne, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

PMID: 28855191
PMCID: PMC5579312
DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.68.BJR-2016-0296.R1

Abstract

Objectives: Whilst gait speed is variable between healthy and injured adults, the extent to which speed alone alters the 3D in vivo knee kinematics has not been fully described. The purpose of this prospective study was to understand better the spatiotemporal and 3D knee kinematic changes induced by slow compared with normal self-selected walking speeds within young healthy adults.

Methods: A total of 26 men and 25 women (18 to 35 years old) participated in this study. Participants walked on a treadmill with the KneeKG system at a slow imposed speed (2 km/hr) for three trials, then at a self-selected comfortable walking speed for another three trials. Paired t-tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were conducted using Stata/IC 14 to compare kinematics of slow versus self-selected walking speed.

Results: Both cadence and step length were reduced during slow gait compared with normal gait. Slow walking reduced flexion during standing (10.6° compared with 13.7°; p < 0.0001), and flexion range of movement (ROM) (53.1° compared with 57.3°; p < 0.0001). Slow walking also induced less adduction ROM (8.3° compared with 10.0°; p < 0.0001), rotation ROM (11.4^° compared with 13.6^°; p < 0.0001), and anteroposterior translation ROM (8.5 mm compared with 10.1 mm; p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: The reduced spatiotemporal measures, reduced flexion during stance, and knee ROM in all planes induced by slow walking demonstrate a stiff knee gait, similar to that previously demonstrated in osteoarthritis. Further research is required to determine if these characteristics induced in healthy knees by slow walking provide a valid model of osteoarthritic gait.Cite this article: N. Mannering, T. Young, T. Spelman, P. F. Choong. Three-dimensional knee kinematic analysis during treadmill gait: Slow imposed speed versus normal self-selected speed. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:514-521. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.68.BJR-2016-0296.R1.

Keywords: Gait kinematics; Knee; Speed.