Analysis of gait in cervical myelopathy

Gait disorders are a frequent symptom of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (C SM). Twelve patients with CSM underwent gait analysis before and after deco mpressive surgery. They were assessed on a walkway and a treadmill and comp ared with a healthy matched control group. The following features were obse rved in the CSM group before surgery: significantly reduced gait velocity a nd step length (P < 0.05), prolonged double support, increased step width, and reduced ankle joint extension during treadmill walking. Knee and hip ki nematics did not differ from controls. Two months after surgery, spatio-tem poral parameters had moved towards normal values, velocity, step length and cadence had increased significantly, and there was reduction of step width during treadmill walking, indicating improved equilibrium. Gait analysis i s an objective tool to document functional recovery after decompressive sur gery in CSM. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.