Gait metric alterations have been previously reported in patients suffering from anterior knee pain (AKP). Characterization of simple and measureable gait parameters in these patients may be valuable for assessing disease severity as well as for follow-up. Previous gait studies in this population have been comprised of relatively small cohorts and the findings of these studies are not uniform. The objective of the present study was to examine spatio-temporal gait parameters in patients with AKP in comparison to symptom-free controls. Furthermore, the study aimed to examine the relationship between self-reported disease severity and the magnitude of gait abnormalities.
157 patients with AKP were identified and compared to 31 healthy controls. Patients were evaluated with a spatiotemporal gait analysis via a computerized mat, the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire and the Short Form (SF)-36 health surveys.
AKP patients walked with significantly lower velocity (15.9%) and cadence (5.9%), shorter step length (9.5%), stride length (9.6%), and showed significant differences in all gait cycle phases (P<0.05 for all). Study group reported higher levels of pain (96%), functional limitation (94%), and poorer perception of mental quality of life (30%) (P<0.05 for all).
Significant differences were found between the spatiotemporal gait profile of AKP patients and symptom-free matched controls. In addition, an association was found between subjective disease severity and gait abnormalities. These findings suggest the usefulness of gait parameters, alongside with the use of self-evaluation questionnaires, in identifying deviations of these patients from healthy population.