Authors:
Igor Gruić
;
Karlo Cebović
and
Vladimir Medved
Affiliation:
Faculty of Kinesiology and University of Zagreb, Croatia
Keyword(s):
Scoliosis, Posture, Gait, Plantar Pressure, Movement Compensation.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Health, Sports Performance and Support Technology
;
Sport Science Research and Technology
;
Training and Testing
Abstract:
Background: Scoliosis alters both posture and gait. Pedobarography is a biomechanical method for assessing gait that has been rarely used in scoliosis-specific gait research. Objective: To determine differences between left and right scoliotic posture in plantar pressure and force gait profile among young males. Methods: Twenty-one young, trained males assigned to one of two groups: left scoliotic posture (LSP; N=12) and right scoliotic posture (RSP; N=9) group. Subjects were assigned to a group based on forward-bending test and controlled for age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), right and left leg length. All subjects were blinded for group they were assigned and study outcomes. Examiners were blinded for study outcomes. Subjects walked at self-selected speed along the 9,5-meter-long walkway for 2 minutes. Plantar pressures and forces were measured using pedobarographic device Zebris medical FDM 1.5. Measured outcomes during gait included: Maximum force right foot (N), Maximu
m force left foot (N), Maximum force at first contact right foot (N), Maximum force at first contact left foot (N), Maximum force at take-off right foot (N), Maximum force at take-off left foot (N), Maximum forefoot force right foot (N), Maximum forefoot force left foot (N), Maximum midfoot force right foot (N), Maximum midfoot force left foot (N), Maximum heel force right foot (N), Maximum heel force left foot (N), Maximum forefoot pressure right foot (N/cm2), Maximum forefoot pressure left foot (N/cm2), Maximum midfoot pressure right foot (N/cm2), Maximum midfoot pressure left foot (N/cm2), Maximum heel pressure right foot (N/cm2), Maximum heel pressure left foot (N/cm2). Results: There were no significant differences in any observed foot pressure or force gait parameter between left and right scoliotic posture group (p<0,05). Conclusion: Plantar pressure and force gait parameters seems to have no diagnostic value in determining scoliosis-specific gait. Focus should be shifted to other pedobarographic gait parameters (e.g. center of pressure, time-force parameters, etc.). Future research should investigate relationships between biomechanical movement compensation and neuromuscular, musculo-skeletal and genetic factors that may initiate scoliosis.
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