Gait Analysis Related to the Level of Lumbosacral Radiculopathy in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study gait patterns of patients with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy, and to investigate whether gait parameters can reflect functional deficit in relation to the level of lumbosacral radiculopathy. METHOD: Conventional physical examinations and three- dimensional gait analysis were performed on 24 patients with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy (twelves with L5 and twelves with S1 radiculopathy) who were diagnosed by electrophysiologic study and magnetic resonance imaging study, and 12 healthy control subjects. Temporospatial, kine matic and kinetic parameters of patients were compared with those of the control group. RESULTS: In patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy, walking velocity, stride length, ratio of single support time to double support time and range of pelvic obliquity were less than control group. Increased double support time, decreased maximal hip extension angle, decreased ankle plantar flexion angle during preswing phase and decreased maximal ankle plantar flexion moment were noted in S1 radiculopathy patients compared with control group. Decreased pelvic rotational range and decreased ankle dorsiflexion moment were specific in L5 radiculopathy patients compared with control group. CONCLUSION: Using three-dimensional gait analysis, we could identify specific gait parameters to reflect functional deficit related to the level of lumbosacral radiculopathy.