GAIT ANALYSIS OF ADULT PATIENTS WITH COMPLETE CONGENITAL DISLOCATION OF THE HIP

Comprehensive gait analysis is valuable in understanding tile performa nce of patients with lower limb disorders, The gait pattern of adult p atients with untreated congenital dislocation of the hip (CDH) has not yet been reported. We studied the gait pattern in nine women (mean ag e 31.4 years) with Crowe group IV CDH. Six had unilateral and three bi lateral involvement. They were not treated during childhood and had no pain at the time of study. A control group comprised 15 normal female subjects of the same age soup. Gait was studied using a motion analys is system. force plateforms, and computer calculation during level wal king, Common abnormal gait patterns seen in patients with both unilate ral and bilateral CDW were slower walking velocity, which was due to a shorter stride length less forward tilting of the pelvis. insufficien t flexion and excessive internal rotation of the hips. The patients wi th unilateral CDH had a shelter step length, lower pelvis, a lateral s hift of the ground reaction force, decreased maximum adduction moments of the hip and knee on the diseased side, and increased maximum adduc tion moments of the hip and knee on the unaffected side. This asymmetr y may have been due to leg length inequality. Thus. correction of the leg length discrepancy may be important for unilateral CDH patients in improving their gait.