Simulated Stiff-knee Gait in Healthy Adults

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of simulated stiff knee on the gait parameters. METHOD: Twenty healthy male adults were recruited. The temporospatial, kinematic & kinetic parameters and energy consumption were analyzed under three different conditions which were free gait, fixed knee flexion in neutral position and limited knee flexion to 30 degrees using knee orthosis. RESULTS: When knee flexion was fixed in neutral position, the cadence and walking speed significantly decreased, and the step time, step width, O2 cost significantly increased compared to free gait. When knee flexion was limited or fixed in neutral position, the kinematic and kinetic parameters in pelvis, hip, knee and ankle joints significantly changed compared with free gait. CONCLUSION: Simulated stiff-knee may affect not only knee joint but also pelvis, hip and ankle joints with increased energy consumption. These findings help us to understand the compensatory mechanism and energy conservation of stiff-knee gait.

The Relationship between Weight-Bearing and Stiff-Knee Gait in Hemiplegic Patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether insufficient weight-bearing on the hemiparetic side has a correlation with the degree of stiff-knee gait in hemiplegic patients. METHOD: Fifty hemiplegic patients were included. In all patients, 3-dimensonal gait analysis and static and dynamic foot pressure measurements were taken. The degree of stiff-knee gait was evaluated using the peak knee flexion angle and the knee flexion slope at toe-off in hemiplegic limb. The degree of weight-bearing was evaluated using the percentage of hemiplegic foot pressure and pressure-time integration on the non-hemiplegic side. RESULTS: The static and dynamic mean pressure ratios and pressure-time integration ratio were statistically correlated with peak knee flexion angle and knee flexion slope (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: As a result, insufficient weight-bearing had a correlation with the degree of stiff-knee gait in hemiplegic patients. Insufficient weight-bearing should be further investigated to determine whether it is one of the characteristic findings of stiff-knee gait, or another cause of stiff-knee gait.