E. De Visser et al., Gait adaptations during walking under visual and cognitive constraints - Astudy of patients recovering from limb-saving surgery of the lower limb, AM J PHYS M, 77(6), 1998, pp. 503-509
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Ortopedics, Rehabilitation & Sport Medicine
Journal title
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION
The objective of this case series study was reautomatization of gait after
limb-saving surgery for tumors at a laboratory of gait analysis. Twelve pat
ients (9 males and 3 females; mean age, 38 years) who underwent limb-saving
surgery of the lower limb at least 1 year previously and ten normal subjec
ts (3 males and 7 females; mean age, 37.5 years) were studied. The main out
come measures were walking speed and stride time duration under normal walk
ing conditions as well as the use of different types of constraints. Patien
ts walked with a lower preferred walking speed than the normal subjects. Pa
tients showed a higher coefficient of variation of stride time in normal wa
lking as well as complex walking compared with normal subjects. During walk
ing with constraints, a significant decrease in stride time was found in pa
tients but not in normal subjects. Although restoration of gait after limb-
saving surgery is impressive, it is not complete (lower walking speed) and
can break down under conditions of visual and cognitive load. Hence, the ap
plication of complex tasks reveals that gait reautomatization is not comple
te in these patients during a period of 2 to 5 years after surgery.