Knee joint kinematics from familiarised treadmill walking can be generalised to overground walking in young unimpaired subjects

We studied the familiarisation time required for reliable sagittal-plane kn ee kinematics and temporal-distance gait measurements to be obtained from t readmill walking. We also studied whether knee kinematics and temporal-dist ance gait measurements obtained from familiarised treadmill walking can be generalised to overground walking, Sixteen subjects without pathology walke d on a level overground walkway and on a treadmill. A motion measurement sy stem was used re, measure sagittal piano knee movements and temporal-distan ce gait parameters juring overground and treadmill walking. Highly reliable knee kinematics and temporal-distance gait measurements [intraclass correl ation coefficient (ICC)(2.1) greater than or equal to 0.93] were found afte r 6 min of treadmill walking. These measurements. obtained after 6 min of t readmill walking, were highly correlated with and not significantly differe nt to those of overground walking. Reliable measurements that can be genera lised to overground walking, call be obtained from the treadmill within a f amiliarisation time of 6 min. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All lights res erved.