Influence of Different Grades of Knee Osteoarthritis on Gait

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the major causes of pain and physical disability. The biomechanical changes also affect gait of a person, increasing disability which reduces quality of physical performance thus influencing the life style of an individual. The present study has been designed to investigate the relationship between different grades of knee osteoarthritis and parameters of gait in patients with knee Osteoarthritis. 40 patients (80 knees) were screened on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The subjects were divided into four groups depending upon the four grades according to Kellgen and Lawrence Scale for different grades of osteoarthritis on the basis of radiographs. The subjects were then investigated for both the knees. The gait was assessed using step length, stride length, degree of toe out and gait speed as the parameters. Coefficient of correlation was used to investigate the relationship between grades of knee OA and gait. Findings of the study suggested a statistically significant negative correlation between progressive grades of OA and step length, stride length and gait speed (r=-0.7, p< 0.0001; r=-0.7, p< 0.0001, r=-0.7, p< 0.0001 respectively) however, positive correlation with degree of toe out(r=0.6, p< 0.0001). Thus step length, stride length and gait speed decrease with an increase in the grade of knee OA; however degree of toe out increase with an increase in the grade of knee OA. It is therefore recommended that the assessment of patients with knee OA in clinical practice should include measurements of gait parameters as well to identify the early gait alterations and thus preventing the deterioration of gait and progression of osteoarthritis.