Kinetic and kinematic variables affecting trunk flexion during level walking in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis

PLoS One. 2018 May 10;13(5):e0197228. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197228. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Lumbar spinal stenosis causes cauda equina and nerve root compression, resulting in neurological symptoms. Although trunk flexion during level walking may alleviate these symptoms by enabling spinal canal decompression, some patients do not use this strategy. We aimed to identify the kinetic and kinematic variables that affect trunk flexion in patients during level walking. Gait was recorded in 111 patients using a three-dimensional motion capture system and six force plates. From the data recorded, walking velocity, bilateral step length, cycle time, maximum trunk flexion angle, forward pelvic tilt angle, pelvic rotation angle, maximum and minimum joint angles, and moment and power of the lower limb were calculated. Then a step-wise multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify kinetic and kinematic variables affecting trunk flexion. The maximum hip extension angle (β = 0.416), maximum hip flexion moment (β = -0.348), and step length (β = 0.257) were identified as variables significantly affecting the trunk flexion angle. The coefficient of determination adjusted for the degree of freedom was 0.294 (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that patients with lumbar spinal stenosis choose one of two strategies to alleviate symptoms during walking. One strategy is gait with trunk flexion posture to increase step length and hip extension angle. The other strategy is gait with trunk upright posture to decrease step length and hip extension angle.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Female
  • Hip / pathology
  • Hip / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Lumbosacral Region / pathology
  • Lumbosacral Region / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Spinal Stenosis / pathology
  • Spinal Stenosis / physiopathology*
  • Walking*

Associated data

  • figshare/6121457
  • figshare/6121499
  • figshare/6121658
  • figshare/5808276
  • figshare/6142355
  • figshare/6139004
  • figshare/6139007

Grants and funding

This study was funded by Tokyo university hospital.