Abstract
A variety of congenital pediatric disorders have demonstrated that foot deformities interfere in locomotion ability. However, there are uncertainties about the mechanical effects of this deformity. Quantitative gait analysis allows the measurement and assessment of walking biomechanics, which facilitates the recommendation of treatment alternatives. The purpose of this investigation was to analyze gait parameters in unilateral and bilateral clubfoot children after operative therapy. Observational Original Scientific Article. The protocol consisted of self-selected speed gait investigation with parameter identification in vertical and antero-posterior ground reaction forces and ankle and knee angles. Non-parametric statistics tests were used in analysis of the results. Children with clubfoot showed larger imbalances in parameters with an emphasis towards the greatest differences occurring between unilateral clubfoot group and controls. For initial stance phase, we found higher first vertical force peak and knee and ankle angular alterations. For midstance, we observed more knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion, and less vertical force. For propulsion phase, there were smaller values in antero-posterior force, second vertical force peak and plantarflexion. Unilateral clubfoot presents more imbalances in gait biomechanical parameters compared with bilateral clubfoot children. The alterations in gait parameters in this study help to understand the imbalances and provide information to understand the lower extremity movements during gait in clubfoot children.
Clubfoot; Biomechanics; Gait; Kinetics; Kinematics
