RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GAIT AND CLINICAL-RESULTS AFTER HIGH TIBIAL OSTEOTOMY

Thirty-two patients with primary osteoarthritis of the medial compartm ent of the knee were studied prospectively to assess the relationship between clinical results, limb alignment, and adduction moment of the knee. Clinical and radiographic examination and gait analyses were per formed preoperatively and repeated at 6 months and at 1, 3, and 6 year s after high tibial osteotomy, The preoperative peak adduction moment was high in 25 patients and low in seven, In both groups, the adductio n moment of the knee decreased at 6 months after surgery but increased after that period. Alignment of the affected knee in both groups rema ined valgus after surgery (average femorotibial angle, 167 degrees-169 degrees), Clinical outcome in both groups improved after surgery and remained unchanged after 1 year. The peak adduction moment of the knee for the whole group significantly correlated with alignment and foot angle before and 6 years after surgery but did not correlate with stri de length and walking velocity, In addition, only alignment was associ ated significantly with clinical results at 6 years. These results sug gest that the preoperative peak adduction moment of the knee does not correlate with clinical or radiographic outcomes of high tibial osteot omy, provided sufficient valgus alignment is achieved at surgery.