Spatial Gait Characteristics Research Articles

Better understanding fall risk: AI-based computer vision for contextual gait assessment

Contemporary research to better understand free-living fall risk assessment in Parkinson's disease (PD) often relies on the use of wearable inertial-based measurement units (IMUs) to quantify useful temporal and spatial gait characteristics (e.g., step time, step length). Although use of IMUs is useful to understand some intrinsic PD fall-risk factors, their use alone is limited as they do not provide information on extrinsic factors (e.g., obstacles). Here, we update on the use of ergonomic wearable video-based eye-tracking glasses coupled with AI-based computer vision methodologies to provide information efficiently and ethically in free-living home-based environments to better understand IMU-based data in a small group of people with PD. The use of video and AI within PD research can be seen as an evolutionary step to improve methods to understand fall risk more comprehensively.

Differences in Temporal Spatial Gait Characteristics Between People With and Without Hip Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis

Differences in Temporal Spatial Gait Characteristics Between People With and Without Hip Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis

The Executive-Function-Related Cognitive–Motor Dual Task Walking Performance and Task Prioritizing Effect on People with Parkinson’s Disease

To safely walk in a community environment requires dual cognitive-walking ambulation ability for people with Parkinson's disease (PD). A past study showed inconsistent results on cognitive-walking performance for PD patients, possibly due to the various cognitive tasks used and task priority assignment. This study designed cognitive-walking tests that used executive-related cognitive tasks to evaluate patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease who did not have obvious cognitive deficits. The effect of assigning task prioritization was also evaluated. Sixteen individuals with PD (PD group) and 16 individuals without PD (control group) underwent single cognitive tests, single walking tests, dual walking tests, and prioritizing task tests. Three types of cognitive, spatial memory, Stroops, and calculation tasks were employed. The cognitive performance was evaluated by response time, accuracy, and speed-accuracy trade off composite score. The walking performance was evaluated by the temporal spatial gait characteristics and variation in gait. The results showed that the walking performance of the PD group was significantly worse than the control group in both single and dual walking conditions. The group difference in cognitive performance was shown in composite score under the dual calculation walking task but not under the single task. While assigning priority to walking, no group difference in walking was observed but the response accuracy rate of PD groups declined. This study concluded that the dual task walking test could sharpen the cognitive deficits for early-stage PD patients. The task priority assignment might not be recommended while testing gait deficits since it decreased the ability to discriminate group differences.

Dual-task effect on gait in adolescents: Visual versus auditory concurrent task

To describe temporal and spatial gait characteristics in individuals with Cri du Chat syndrome (CdCS) and to explore the effects of performing concurrent manual tasks while walking.The gait parameters of 14 participants with CdCS (mean age 10.3, range 3–20 years) and 14 age-matched controls (mean age 10.1, range 3–20 years) were collected using the GAITRite® instrumented walkway. All participants first walked without any concurrent tasks and then performed 2 motor dual task walking conditions (pitcher and tray).Individuals with CdCS took more frequent, smaller steps than controls, but, on average, had a comparable gait speed. In addition, there was a significant task by group interaction. Participants decreased gait speed, decreased cadence, decreased step length, and increased% time in double limb support under dual task conditions compared to single task conditions. However, the age-matched controls altered their gait for both manual tasks, and the participants with CdCS only altered their gait for the tray task.Although individuals with CdCS ambulate with a comparable gait speed to age-matched controls under single task conditions, they did not significantly alter their gait when carrying a pitcher with a cup of water inside, like controls. It is not clear whether or not individuals with CdCS had difficulty attending to task demands or had difficulty modifying their gait.

Functional Ambulation Profile (FAP) Score as a Potential Marker of Gait Analysis in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1.

Recent studies on Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) have shown profound impairments in gait, leading to falls. We analyzed functional ambulation profile (FAP) score that reflects the temporal and spatial gait characteristics and investigated correlations with the lower limb muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 6 min walk test (6MWT). Twenty patients with DM1 and 20 controls participated in this study. The 6MWT and gait analysis including FAP scores via GAITRite were performed in all patients and controls. DM1 patients displayed slower gait, shorter stride length, shorter stance length, and lower FAP score. Among lower extremity muscles, the gastrocnemius, soleus and tibialis anterior showed the most severe fat infiltration and these crural muscles significantly correlated with FAP and 6MWT. Among crural muscles, tibialis anterior was the most important muscle affecting gait speed, whereas the gastrocnemius contributed substantially to gait instability. FAP score correlated with the muscle imaging and 6MWT in DM1. Therefore, FAP score maybe used as an non-invasive marker that reflects deterioration of gait and a possible surrogate biomarker in DM1.

Prolonged Rest, Long-Term Dynamic Balance, and Gait in a Mouse Ankle-Sprain Model.

Lateral ankle sprains (LASs) result in short- and long-term adaptations in the sensorimotor system that are thought to contribute to the development of chronic ankle instability and posttraumatic ankle osteoarthritis. Debate continues as to the appropriateness of rapid return to sport after LASs given the prevalence of long-term consequences. To examine the short- and long-term effects of prolonged rest, as a model of immobilization, on dynamic balance and gait outcomes after a severe LAS in a mouse model. Controlled laboratory study. Research laboratory. At 7 weeks of age, 18 male mice (CBA/J) had their right anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments transected. Mice were then randomized to 1 of 3 groups representing when access to a running wheel postsurgery was gained: at 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks. Dynamic balance and spatial gait characteristics were quantified before surgery (baseline) and at 3 days and 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, and 54 weeks postinjury. Relative to prolonged rest, resting for only 3 days resulted in worse dynamic balance during the later assessment points (42-54 weeks postinjury, P < .01). Mice that underwent a prolonged rest period of 2 weeks crossed the balance beam faster than the group that rested for only 3 days when averaged across all time points (P < .012). Spatial gait characteristics did not differ among the groups (P > .05). Relative to 3 days of rest, prolonged rest (1 and 2 weeks) after a severe LAS in mice positively affected balance. The apparent benefit of prolonged rest was noted on both dynamic-balance outcomes and performance. Stride length was not altered by the duration of rest after a surgically induced severe LAS in mice. Future research is needed to determine if these results translate to a human model.

Kinematic discrimination of ataxia in horses is facilitated by blindfolding.

Agreement among experienced clinicians is poor when assessing the presence and severity of ataxia, especially when signs are mild. Consequently, objective gait measurements might be beneficial for assessment of horses with neurological diseases. To assess diagnostic criteria using motion capture to measure variability in spatial gait-characteristics and swing duration derived from ataxic and non-ataxic horses, and to assess if variability increases with blindfolding. Cross-sectional. A total of 21 horses underwent measurements in a gait laboratory and live neurological grading by multiple raters. In the gait laboratory, the horses were made to walk across a runway surrounded by a 12-camera motion capture system with a sample frequency of 240Hz. They were made to walk normally and with a blindfold in at least three trials each. Displacements of reflective markers on head, fetlock, hoof, fourth lumbar vertebra, tuber coxae and sacrum derived from three to four consecutive strides were processed and descriptive statistics, receiver operator characteristics (ROC) to determine the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC), and correlation between median ataxia grade and gait parameters were determined. For horses with a median ataxia grade ≥2, coefficient of variation for the location of maximum vertical displacement of pelvic and thoracic distal limbs generated good diagnostic yield. The hoofs of the thoracic limbs yielded an AUC of 0.81 with 64% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Blindfolding exacerbated the variation for ataxic horses compared to non-ataxic horses with the hoof marker having an AUC of 0.89 with 82% sensitivity and 90% specificity. The low number of consecutive strides per horse obtained with motion capture could decrease diagnostic utility. Motion capture can objectively aid the assessment of horses with ataxia. Furthermore, blindfolding increases variation in distal pelvic limb kinematics making it a useful clinical tool.

Mobile Stride Length Estimation With Deep Convolutional Neural Networks.

Accurate estimation of spatial gait characteristics is critical to assess motor impairments resulting from neurological or musculoskeletal disease. Currently, however, methodological constraints limit clinical applicability of state-of-the-art double integration approaches to gait patterns with a clear zero-velocity phase. We describe a novel approach to stride length estimation that uses deep convolutional neural networks to map stride-specific inertial sensor data to the resulting stride length. The model is trained on a publicly available and clinically relevant benchmark dataset consisting of 1220 strides from 101 geriatric patients. Evaluation is done in a tenfold cross validation and for three different stride definitions. Even though best results are achieved with strides defined from midstance to midstance with average accuracy and precision of , performance does not strongly depend on stride definition. The achieved precision outperforms state-of-the-art methods evaluated on the same benchmark dataset by . Due to the independence of stride definition, the proposed method is not subject to the methodological constrains that limit applicability of state-of-the-art double integration methods. Furthermore, it was possible to improve precision on the benchmark dataset. With more precise mobile stride length estimation, new insights to the progression of neurological disease or early indications might be gained. Due to the independence of stride definition, previously uncharted diseases in terms of mobile gait analysis can now be investigated by retraining and applying the proposed method.

Temporal and spatial gait parameters in children with Cri du Chat Syndrome under single and dual task conditions

AimTo describe temporal and spatial gait characteristics in individuals with Cri du Chat syndrome (CdCS) and to explore the effects of performing concurrent manual tasks while walking. MethodsThe gait parameters of 14 participants with CdCS (mean age 10.3, range 3–20 years) and 14 age-matched controls (mean age 10.1, range 3–20 years) were collected using the GAITRite® instrumented walkway. All participants first walked without any concurrent tasks and then performed 2 motor dual task walking conditions (pitcher and tray). ResultsIndividuals with CdCS took more frequent, smaller steps than controls, but, on average, had a comparable gait speed. In addition, there was a significant task by group interaction. Participants decreased gait speed, decreased cadence, decreased step length, and increased% time in double limb support under dual task conditions compared to single task conditions. However, the age-matched controls altered their gait for both manual tasks, and the participants with CdCS only altered their gait for the tray task. InterpretationAlthough individuals with CdCS ambulate with a comparable gait speed to age-matched controls under single task conditions, they did not significantly alter their gait when carrying a pitcher with a cup of water inside, like controls. It is not clear whether or not individuals with CdCS had difficulty attending to task demands or had difficulty modifying their gait.

Apolipoprotein E Genotype Linked to Spatial Gait Characteristics: Predictors of Cognitive Dual Task Gait Change.

BackgroundDeveloping measures to detect preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease is vital, as prodromal stage interventions may prove more efficacious in altering the disease’s trajectory. Gait changes may serve as a useful clinical heuristic that precedes cognitive decline. This study provides the first systematic investigation of gait characteristics relationship with relevant demographic, physical, genetic (Apolipoprotein E genotype), and health risk factors in non-demented older adults during a cognitive-load dual task walking condition.MethodsThe GAITRite system provided objective measurement of gait characteristics in APOE-e4 “carriers” (n = 75) and “non-carriers” (n = 224). Analyses examined stride length and step time gait characteristics during simple and dual-task (spelling five-letter words backwards) conditions in relation to demographic, physical, genetic, and health risk factors.ResultsSlower step time and shorter stride length associated with older age, greater health risk, and worse physical performance (ps < .05). Men and women differed in height, gait characteristics, health risk factors and global cognition (ps < .05). APOE-e4 associated with a higher likelihood of hypercholesterolemia and overall illness index scores (ps < .05). No genotype-sex interactions on gait were found. APOE-e4 was linked to shorter stride length and greater dual-task related disturbances in stride length.ConclusionsStride length has been linked to heightened fall risk, attention decrements and structural brain changes in older adults. Our results indicate that stride length is a useful behavioral marker of cognitive change that is associated with genetic risk for AD. Sex disparities in motor decline may be a function of health risk factors.

The effects of gait velocity on the gait characteristics of hemiplegic patients.

[Purpose] The present study investigated the effects of gait speed on temporal and spatial gait characteristics of hemiplegic stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty post-stroke hemiplegic patients participated in the present study. To enhance the reliability of the analysis of the gait characteristics, the assessments were conducted three days per week at the same time every day. Each subject walked maintaining a comfortable speed for the first minute, and measurement was conducted for 30 seconds at a treadmill speed of 1 km/hour thereafter. Then, the subjects walked at a treadmill speed of 2 km/hour for 30 seconds after a 30-minute rest. The differences in the measurements were tested for significance using the paired t-test. [Results] The measures of foot rotation, step width, load response, mid stance, pre-swing, swing phase, and double stance phase showed significant difference between the gait velocities. [Conclusion] The present study provides basic data for gait velocity changes for hemiplegic patients.

Gait Analysis With Cognitive-Motor Dual Tasks to Distinguish Fallers From Nonfallers Among Rehabilitating Stroke Patients

ObjectivesTo evaluate fall risk in stroke patients based on single- and dual-task gait analyses, and to investigate the difference between 2 cognitive tasks in the dual-task paradigm. DesignProspective cohort study. SettingRehabilitation hospitals. ParticipantsSubacute stroke patients (N=32), able to walk without physical/manual help with or without walking aids, while performing a verbal task. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresFunctional gait measures were Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC) and use of a walking aid. Gait measures were evaluated by an electronic walkway system under single- and dual-task (DT) conditions. For the single-task, subjects were instructed to walk at their usual speed. One of the DTs was a verbal fluency dual task, whereby subjects had to walk while simultaneously enumerating as many different animals as possible. For the other DT (counting dual task), participants had to walk while performing serial subtractions. After inclusion, participants kept a 6-month falls diary. ResultsEighteen (56.3%) of the 32 included patients fell. Ten (31.3%) were single fallers (SFs), and 8 (25%) were multiple fallers (MFs). Fallers (Fs) more frequently used a walking aid and more frequently needed an observatory person for walking safely (FAC score of 3) than nonfallers (NFs). Two gait decrement parameters in counting dual task could distinguish potential Fs from NFs: decrement in stride length percentage (P=.043) and nonparetic step length percentage (P=.047). Regarding the division in 3 groups (NFs, SFs, and MFs), only MFs had a significantly higher percentage of decrement for paretic step length (P=.023) than SFs. ConclusionsExamining the decrement of spatial gait characteristics (stride length and paretic and nonparetic step length) during a DT addressing working memory can identify fall-prone subacute stroke patients.

Reliability of gait parameters during treadmill walking in community-dwelling healthy seniors

The present study aimed at assessing the between- and within-day-variability of temporal and spatial gait characteristics during treadmill walking in community-dwelling seniors. In 20 active, healthy seniors (10 women, 10 men, age: 64.8 (SD 3.2) years, height: 1.70 (0.10)m, weight: 69.7 (10.9)kg, physical activity: 11 (6)hweek−1) gait characteristics were assessed on three days in weekly intervals (between-day variability). Either on days two or three, testing was repeated 30min after the initial trial (within-day variability). We determined routine spatio-temporal gait parameters as well as gait variability during 400 steps at a normal walking speed (5.0 (0.4)kmh−1) on a one-dimensional ground reaction force measuring treadmill. No significant mean differences occurred in any parameter for between- and within-day comparisons. Between-day ICC were high (ICC≥0.86) for most parameters except for temporal (ICC=0.44) and spatial (ICC=0.22) gait variability. Coefficients of variation (CoV) were also high in the latter parameters (CoV=30.2–36.1%), whereas all other variables showed clearly lower values (CoV<7%). CoV were still lower between days 2 and 3 (CoV<5%). Compared to between-day comparisons, within-day variability was comparable in spatio-temporal gait parameters (CoV<5%, ICC≥0.97) and lower in gait variability parameters (CoV<18%, ICC≥0.72–0.74). In conclusion, most gait parameters were highly reliable during treadmill walking. Changes of less than 10% can be detected with sufficient confidence. Gait variability parameters were less reliable and, thus, should be carefully interpreted.

The Influence of Pain Distribution on Walking Velocity and Horizontal Ground Reaction Forces in Patients with Low Back Pain

Objective. The primary purpose of this paper was to evaluate the influence of pain distribution on gait characteristics in subjects with low back problems (LBP) during walking at preferred and fastest speeds. Design. Cross-sectional, observational study. Setting. Gait analysis laboratory in a health professions university. Participants. A convenience age- and gender-matched sample of 20 subjects with back pain only (BPO), 20 with referred leg pain due to back problems (LGP), and 20 pain-free individuals (CON). Methods and Measures. Subjects completed standardized self-reports on pain and disability and were videotaped as they walked at their preferred and fastest speeds along a walkway embedded with a force plate. Temporal and spatial gait characteristics were measured at the midsection of the walkway, and peak medial, lateral, anterior, and posterior components of horizontal ground reaction forces (hGRFs) were measured during the stance phase. Results. Patients with leg pain had higher levels of pain intensity and affect compared to those with back pain only (t = 4.91, P < .001 and t = 5.80, P < 0.001, resp.) and walking had an analgesic effect in the BPO group. Gait velocity was highest in the control group followed by the BPO and LGP group and differed between groups at both walking speeds (F 2.57 = 13.62, P < .001 and F 2.57 = 9.09, P < .001, for preferred and fastest speed condition, resp.). When normalized against gait velocity, the LGP group generated significantly less lateral force at the fastest walking speed (P = .005) and significantly less posterior force at both walking speeds (P ≤ .01) compared to the control group. Conclusions. Pain intensity and distribution differentially influence gait velocity and hGRFs during gait. Those with referred leg pain tend to utilize significantly altered gait strategies that are more apparent at faster walking speeds.

Temporal-Spatial Gait Adaptations During Stair Ascent and Descent in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) accounts for more functional disability of the lower extremity than any other disease. We recruited 18 patients with knee OA and 18 healthy age-, height-, mass-, and gender-matched control subjects to investigate the effects knee OA has on select spatial and temporal gait variables during a stair climbing task. No group-by-direction interaction was observed; however, significant effects did occur for group and direction. Specifically, patients with knee OA demonstrated less time in single support, greater time in double support, decreased step length, greater step width, less stride length, decreased total gait velocity, greater total time in support, and less total time in swing, compared with controls. Early-stage knee OA directly influences specific temporal and spatial gait characteristics during stair climbing.

The effect of claudication pain on temporal and spatial gait measures during self-paced ambulation

We determined the effect of claudication pain on temporal and spatial gait characteristics, and on ambulatory symmetry at preferred and rapid self-selected walking paces in patients with unilateral peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Twenty-eight patients with PAD limited by intermittent claudication were studied. Patients ambulated at their preferred and rapid paces over a 7.3-meter portable gait mat system while they were pain-free and after experiencing claudication pain. The order of the pain-free and painful walking trials was randomized, and the following gait parameters were obtained: velocity, cadence, stride length, swing time, stance time, single-support time, and double-support time. During the self-selected rapid pace, patients walked 3% slower (p = 0.020) while in pain due to a 3% shorter stride length (p < 0.001), and they were in double-stance longer (p = 0.024). Claudication pain in the symptomatic leg resulted in an increase in single-stance (p = 0.007). Furthermore, gait became asymmetrical with pain, as the symptomatic leg spent a higher percentage of the gait cycle in the swing phase (p < 0.01) and lower percentages in stance (p < 0.01) and single-stance (p < 0.01) than the asymptomatic leg. Ambulation was symmetrical for all measures during the pain-free trial. In conclusion, claudication pain slows ambulatory velocity at preferred and rapid paces, and increases asymmetry when ambulatory function is challenged with rapid walking. The reduced ambulatory speed with the development of claudication pain may be an adaptation to elicit a safer and less destabilizing gait pattern.

Temporal and Spatial Gait Characteristics of Children With Hurler Syndrome After Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation

Recent medical advances are increasing the life expectancy of children with Hurler syndrome; however, little is known about the motor abilities of children who have received these medical interventions. The purpose of this study was to describe the temporal and spatial gait parameters of children with Hurler syndrome following umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) in reference to gait parameters of children with typical development. The group with Hurler syndrome consisted of 18 children between 19.6 and 96.8 months of age who were examined 1 to 4 times between 2.9 and 72.2 months after UCBT. Four hundred thirty-eight children with typical development between the ages of 14.4 and 131.8 months served as a comparison group. Temporal and spatial gait parameters were assessed using a GAITRite electronic walkway. Step length, gait speed, and cadence were normalized for body stature. Children with Hurler syndrome had slower gait speeds and shorter step lengths than children with typical development at 2 and 3 years of age. Time since transplantation was a predictor of gait speed and step length. Children with Hurler syndrome after UCBT were delayed in maturation of temporal and spatial gait parameters.

TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GAIT WHILE PERFORMING THE DYNAMIC GAIT INDEX IN PERSONS WITH AND WITHOUT BALANCE AND VESTIBULAR DISORDERS

Purpose/Hypothesis: Persons with balance and vestibular disorders complain of difficulty walking, especially with head movement. The Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) is comprised of an observational battery of 8 walking tasks that allows a clinician to evaluate the impact of head movements plus speed and direction changes on gait performance. The underlying temporal and spatial aspects of gait that are associated with the DGI are unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe the temporal and spatial gait characteristics that are associated with gait dysfunction during performance of level walking items of the DGI in persons with and without balance and vestibular dysfunction. Number of Subjects: Forty seven subjects (mean age: 59.2 years, s.d. 18.5, range 24–90) participated in a descriptive cross sectional study (26 control subjects and 21 persons with balance and/or vestibular dysfunction). Materials/Methods: Tree trials of each level gait item were administered to subjects as they ambulated on a 13.5 meter instrumented (GAITrite) walkway. Temporal and spatial gait characteristics were measured using GAITRite software (Version 3.4). Test-retest reliability [Intra class correlation coefficient (ICC 3,1)] across three trials was determined for gait parameters associated with continuous walking (velocity, cadence) and the item requiring turning and stopping quickly (number of steps, ambulation time). Step length variability (coefficient of variation) was calculated. Mean gait parameter differences between control subjects and patients were compared using an independent sample t-test. Results: The ICCs (velocity, cadence) for all DGI items except turn and stop varied between 0.92–0.99. The ICC for the turn and stop item for the number of steps was 0.68 and ambulation time was 0.70. There were no patient/control differences in test-retest reliabilities on the DGI items that required continuous walking. Ambulation time on the walk, turn and stop showed significantly greater reliability in patients versus controls. For the continuous walking items, control subjects demonstrated significantly higher mean velocities and cadence than persons with vestibular dysfunction (p<;0.05). For the turn and stop item, there were no differences between the two groups on ambulation time (p=0.06) or step count (p=0.31). Patients demonstrated greater step length variability for walking with head movements, changing speeds and stepping over objects. Patients had a significantly greater mean base of support at heel strike for level walking, walking with head movements and stepping over objects. Conclusions: The temporal and spatial gait parameters underlying dynamic gait, as defined by the DGI, demonstrated good to excellent test-retest reliability and internal structure validity. Clinical Relevance: With enhanced knowledge of underlying gait abnormalities, targeted interventions can be developed to best remediate gait dysfunction in persons with vestibular disorders.

Test-retest reliability of temporal and spatial gait characteristics measured with an instrumented walkway system (GAITRite).

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability of temporal and spatial gait measurements over a one-week period as measured using an instrumented walkway system (GAITRite®).MethodsSubjects were tested on two occasions one week apart. Measurements were made at preferred and fast walking speeds using the GAITRite® system. Measurements tested included walking speed, step length, stride length, base of support, step time, stride time, swing time, stance time, single and double support times, and toe in-toe out angle.ResultsTwenty-one healthy subjects participated in this study. The group consisted of 12 men and 9 women, with an average age of 34 years (range: 19 – 59 years). At preferred walking speed, all gait measurements had ICC's of 0.92 and higher, except base of support which had an ICC of 0.80. At fast walking speed all gait measurements had ICC's above 0.89 except base of support (ICC = 0.79),ConclusionsSpatial-temporal gait measurements demonstrate good to excellent test-retest reliability over a one-week time span.

THE EFFECT OF CLAUDICATION PAIN ON GAIT CHARACTERISTICS IN SUBJECTS WITH PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE

PURPOSE: To determine whether claudication pain alters temporal and spatial gait characteristics at preferred and rapid self-selected walking paces in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) subjects. METHODS: Twenty-eight PAD subjects with intermittent claudication (age = 71 ± 1; mean ± SEM) performed walking trials under pain-free and pain conditions over a 24-foot distance. Gait parameters consisting of velocity, cadence, stride length, swing time, stance time, single-stance time, and double-stance time were recorded at both walking paces for each condition. The order of the pain-free and pain walking conditions was randomized. RESULTS: At the preferred walking pace, velocity was similar (p > 0.05) between the pain-free and claudication pain walking conditions (99.9 ± 3.3 vs. 104.0 ± 3.3 cm/sec). Similar results were also found betweent the pain-free and pain conditions (p > 0.05) for cadence (99.9 ± 1.7 vs. 103.9 ± 1.6 steps/min), stride length (119.8 ± 2.8 vs. 119.9 ± 2.9 cm/stride), and the percentage of the gait cycle spent in the swing phase (34.7 ± 0.3 vs. 34.9 ± 0.3%), stance phase (65.3 ± 0.3 vs. 65.1 ± 0.3%), single-stance phase (33.9 ± 0.4 vs. 33.8 ± 0.4%), and double-stance phase (31.8 ± 0.7 vs. 31.8 ± 0.7%). At the rapid walking pace, no differences between pain-free and pain walking conditions (p > 0.05) were noted for the gait parameters as well. CONCLUSION: Temporal and spatial gait abnormalities of PAD subjects are not further exacerbated by intermittent claudication leg pain during either preferred or rapid self-selected ambulatory paces.