Abstract
Švehlík M, Zwick EB, Steinwender G, Linhart WE, Schwingenschuh P, Katschnig P, Ott E, Enzinger C. Gait analysis in patients with Parkinson's disease off dopaminergic therapy. Objective To compare time-distance, kinematic, and kinetic gait parameters in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) off dopaminergic therapy with a group of healthy control subjects. Design A group-comparison study. Setting Gait analysis laboratory. Participants Patients with PD (n=20) and healthy age-matched controls (n=20). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Time-distance, kinematic, and kinetic gait variables. Results PD patients walked slower with shorter stride-length, comparable cadence, and longer double support times. Kinematics showed a reduction of the range of motion in the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Maximum hip extension and the ankle plantar flexion were significantly reduced. Kinetic gait parameters showed reduced push-off ankle power and lift-off hip power generation. Strong correlations between these important body advancement mechanisms and the walking velocity were observed. Conclusions In addition to previously described dysfunctional kinematics, abnormal kinetic parameters play an important role in the characterization of gait in PD patients off therapy. Hence, these parameters could be used to document treatment effects of parkinsonian gait disorders.
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