TY - JOUR
T1 - Hip and ankle walking strategies
T2 - Effect on peak plantar pressures and implications for neuropathic ulceration
AU - Mueller, Michael J.
AU - Sinacore, David R.
AU - Hoogstrate, Sara
AU - Daly, Lise
PY - 1994/11
Y1 - 1994/11
N2 - Treatment of neuropathic plantar ulcers often is directed at reducing excessive, repeated peak plantar pressures (PPP). The purposes of this study were to determine whether instructing a subject to walk using a hip strategy would reduce forefoot PPP and change the kinematics of walking during a single session of testing. Thirteen subjects, 7 with peripheral neuropathy and a history of a recent plantar ulcer, and 6 controls participated. PPPs were measured with an in-shoe pressure monitoring system. Kinematics were measured with a computer-assisted motion analysis system. After data were collected as subjects walked using their normal walking pattern, subjects were instructed to walk using the hip strategy by decreasing their push-off, pulling their leg forward from their hips, decreasing step length, and maintaining their normal walking velocity. Compared with using the normal (ankle) strategy, using the hip strategy showed a significant 27% decrease in forefoot PPP and a 24% increase in heel PPP. Kinematic changes were decreased plantar flexion angular velocity, hip extension range-of motion (ROM), and step length, increased dorsiflexion ROM, and hip flexion ROM, but no change in walking velocity. These findings indicate that a change in walking pattern can result in lower forefoot PPP during a single session. Assuming patients can maintain the alterations in their walking pattern, these adaptations may help to heal plantar ulcers in some patients with peripheral neuropathy.
AB - Treatment of neuropathic plantar ulcers often is directed at reducing excessive, repeated peak plantar pressures (PPP). The purposes of this study were to determine whether instructing a subject to walk using a hip strategy would reduce forefoot PPP and change the kinematics of walking during a single session of testing. Thirteen subjects, 7 with peripheral neuropathy and a history of a recent plantar ulcer, and 6 controls participated. PPPs were measured with an in-shoe pressure monitoring system. Kinematics were measured with a computer-assisted motion analysis system. After data were collected as subjects walked using their normal walking pattern, subjects were instructed to walk using the hip strategy by decreasing their push-off, pulling their leg forward from their hips, decreasing step length, and maintaining their normal walking velocity. Compared with using the normal (ankle) strategy, using the hip strategy showed a significant 27% decrease in forefoot PPP and a 24% increase in heel PPP. Kinematic changes were decreased plantar flexion angular velocity, hip extension range-of motion (ROM), and step length, increased dorsiflexion ROM, and hip flexion ROM, but no change in walking velocity. These findings indicate that a change in walking pattern can result in lower forefoot PPP during a single session. Assuming patients can maintain the alterations in their walking pattern, these adaptations may help to heal plantar ulcers in some patients with peripheral neuropathy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0028081858&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0003-9993(94)90004-3
DO - 10.1016/0003-9993(94)90004-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 7979928
AN - SCOPUS:0028081858
VL - 75
SP - 1196
EP - 1200
JO - Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
JF - Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
SN - 0003-9993
IS - 11
ER -