INTERINDIVIDUAL VARIATIONS OF THE HIP-JOINT MOTION IN NORMAL GAIT

The purpose of this study was to quantify in a sample of healthy subje cts the interindividual variations of the hip joint motion in normal g ait. This sample included 55 subjects (25 men and 30 women; aged 20-70 years) considered as free of locomotion disorders. Measures were made with the optoelectronic system VICON(TM) using five cameras. The ampl itude values varied between 20 degrees and 42 degrees (mean: 30.66 deg rees) for flexion-extension, 2 degrees and 20 degrees (mean: 6.53 degr ees) for abduction-adduction and 3 degrees and 40 degrees (mean: 13.45 degrees) for rotation. The parameters dispersion was consistent with a normal distribution within the sample for flexion - extension, The r anges of hip rotation and abduction - adduction seem to follow a distr ibution pattern centered around the lower values. These interindividua l variations of the hip motion in normal gait correspond with very dif ferent functional modes of the hip joint for each individual and could therefore participate in the pathophysiology of various locomotor dis orders.