EFFECTS OF RESTRICTED KNEE FLEXION AND WALKING SPEED ON THE VERTICAL GROUND REACTION FORCE DURING GAIT

Although lower extremity immobilization, including restricted knee fle xion, is commonly used in rehabilitation, the effect of angle of knee restriction and walking speed on the Vertical ground reaction forces d uring gait is unclear. Force plate measurements were made on 36 health y males walking at three different speeds when knee flexion was unrest ricted and restricted to both 10 and 25 degrees. Analysis of variance and post hoc analyses showed significant increases in lour characteris tics oi the vertical ground reaction force in the restricted leg and i n two characteristics in the unrestricted leg during walking with rest ricted knee flexion, loading rate and unloading rate for the restricte d leg and peak force for both legs showed significant speed-knee flexi on restriction interactions. At the fast walking speed, two significan t differences were found between knee flexion restrictions of 10 and 2 5 degrees. The clinical implications of these findings are that restri cted knee flexion during gait may significantly alter the forces appli ed to both lower limbs.