Gait in male trans-tibial amputees

Abstract

Walking speed, stance duration and ground reaction forces were studied with the use of a stable force platform (Kistler) in 24 male trans-tibial amputees and 12 healthy subjects matched for sex and age. The aim of the study was to compare the gait performance of two groups with unilateral trans-tibial amputations for either vascular disease or trauma and also to compare the results of the two groups with the results of a group of healthy subjects. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to compare the stance duration and the ground reaction forces in relation to walking speed. The vascular and traumatic amputees had significantly reduced walking speeds compared with the healthy subjects, 0.85±0.2 m/s and 0.99±0.2 m/s. respectively, as compared to 1.42±0.2 m/s. By comparing the vascular and traumatic amputees with the healthy subjects in relation to walking speed, it was shown that the gait performance of the vascular amputee differed from that of the traumatic amputee, a difference that was not caused by the reduced walking speed. The active forces during push off on both the healthy (p = 0.02) and the prosthetic leg (p = 0.003) in the trauma group were not found in the vascular group. This disparity could be an effect of the systemic disease. It may be argued that the results of this study contribute to the understanding of the reduced walking ability of the vascular amputee and should be borne in mind when planning rehabilitation.

Temporal Spatial and Metabolic Measures of Walking in Highly Functional Individuals With Lower Limb Amputations

“…The mean rate of oxygen consumption increased with increasing amputation level but the difference compared with control subjects was only statistically significant for the bilateral trans-femoral group (43% greater, p = 0.001). Oxygen Individuals with amputation in this study walked at a similar speed or faster (Figure 1), with a longer stride length, more symmetrical step length, and narrower stride width than in comparable studies (4,6,8,12,18,19,22,23) of groups with similar age, mass and activity level using similar prosthetic components. Individuals with a unilateral trans-tibial amputation had the same oxygen cost of walking as the controls which has only been observed in two other studies (3,24) (Figure 2).…”

“…This is comparable with other studies of similar design. (1,4,6,(17)(18)(19)(20) Inclusion criteria were that they could walk continuously for at least twelve minutes and had been wearing the same prostheses for at least six months prior to testing.…”

Gait speed as an indicator of prosthetic walking potential following lower limb amputation

“…People with lower limb amputations have been reported to have slower gait speeds than healthy people. 11,[22][23][24][25] In able-bodied populations, slower gait speed has been associated with poorer health and functioning, and increased hospital visits. 26 People with gait speeds of at least 1.36 m/s have been found to have a lower risk of mortality.…”

Spatio Temporal Parameters and Symmetry Index in Transtibial Amputees Wearing Prosthetic Feet with and without Adaptive Ankles

“…Prosthetic devices aim at enabling individuals with amputations to successfully return to functional and recreational activities. Many of these devices, particularly those for individuals with transtibial amputations, do not fully mimic the function of unimpaired joints and have been associated with gait deviations and functional limitations, such as decreased walking speed [6] and increased interlimb asymmetries in spatiotemporal parameters and kinetics of the joints [7].…”