DATA MANAGEMENT IN GAIT ANALYSIS FOR CLINICAL-APPLICATIONS

Objective. To study the reliability of gait analysis data obtained usi ng the Calibrated Anatomical System Technique (CAST) protocol and to v erify the suitability and repeatability of the extraction of a number of parameters from the waveforms obtained. Design. The experimental pr otocol and the parametric analysis technique were applied on a populat ion of able-bodied subjects. Background. The clinical interpretation p rocess of gait data still needs a more accurate analysis of the reliab ility and repeatability of the measurements and a suitable procedure f or data reduction useful for data comparison. Methods. Gait analysis w as performed in 20 able-bodied subjects using a stereophotogrammetric system and a forceplate. 124 parameters relative to time-distance, kin ematic and kinetic variables were calculated by means of an automatic procedure and statistically analysed. Results. Most of the parameters were found to be normally distributed with relatively small range of v ariation. Few of them showed poor repeatability, mostly due to the exp erimental inaccuracies introduced. Correlation of several gait paramet ers with age, sex, and speed of progression was also identified. Relev ance Gait data obtained by means of an innovative experimental protoco l, CAST, are presented and evaluated through parametric analysis of cu rves. In the presence of a not dramatically altered morphology of the curves, parametric analysis is demonstrated to be a reliable method fo r analysing gait data, especially in the study of large populations. T he least reliable gait parameters, much affected by experimental error s, are identified. These latter parameters should be handled with caut ion in the process of clinical decision-making using gait analysis. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.