Hip resurfacing arthroplasty in women: A novel ceramic device enables near normal gait function.

BACKGROUND: Gait function improves after Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) but is not restored to normal levels. Metal-on-metal Resurfacing Arthroplasty (MoM-HRA) is an alternative to THA and has shown to restore normal levels gait function and physical activity but has been restricted to men owing to problems of metal-ion release. Ceramic HRA (cHRA) removes the cobalt-chrome bearing surfaces, thereby eliminating these specific metal-ion concerns and aiming to be safe for females. RESEARCH QUESTION: Is there a difference in gait function of female cHRA patients compared to female THA using subjective and objective measures? METHODS: Fifteen unilateral cHRA and 15 unilateral THA, age and BMI matched, completed patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) (Oxford Hip Score, EQ5d and MET score) and underwent gait analysis using an instrumented treadmill pre- (2-10 weeks) and post-operatively (52-74 weeks). Maximum walking speed (MWS), Vertical GRF of the stance phase, GRF symmetry index (SI) and spatiotemporal gait measures were recorded. Patients were compared to age, gender and BMI healthy controls (CON). RESULTS: There were no differences in PROMs or gait function between groups pre-operatively. Post- operatively, cHRA had a higher MET score (11.2 vs 7.1, p = 0.02) and a higher MWS (6.2 vs 6.8 km/hr, p = 0.003) compared to THA. cHRA had a similar GRF profile to CON, whereas THA had a reduced push-off force at 70-77 % of the stance phase compared to CON. At faster walking speeds of 6 km/hr walking speed, THA displayed an asymmetric GRF profile (SI<4.4 %) whereas the cHRA patients continued to display a symmetrical gait profile. cHRA was able to increase step length from pre-op levels (63 vs 66 cm, p = 0.02) and produced a larger step length compared to THA (73 vs 79 cm, p = 0.02). SIGNIFICANCE: Female cHRA returned to levels of gait function and activity similar to healthy controls unlike female THA.

'Recoupling' the attentional and motor control of preparatory postural adjustments to overcome freezing of gait in Parkinson's.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined if people with Parkinson's and freezing of gait pathology (FoG) could be trained to increase preparatory weight-shift amplitude, and facilitate step initiation during FoG. METHODS: Thirty-five people with Parkinson's and FoG attempted to initiate forward walking from a stationary position caused by a freeze (n = 17, FoG-F) or voluntarily stop (n = 18, FoG-NF) in a Baseline condition and two conditions where an increased weight-shift amplitude was trained via: (i) explicit verbal instruction, and (ii) implicit movement analogies. RESULTS: At Baseline, weight-shift amplitudes were smaller during: (i) unsuccessful, compared to successful step initiations (FoG-F group), and (ii) successful step initiations in the FoG-F group compared to FoG-NF. Both Verbal and Analogy training resulted in significant increases in weight-shift amplitude in both groups, and a corresponding pronounced reduction in unsuccessful attempts to initiate stepping (FoG-F group). CONCLUSIONS: Hypometric preparatory weight-shifting is associated with failure to initiate forward stepping in people with Parkinson's and FoG. However, impaired weight-shift characteristics are modifiable through conscious strategies. This current study provides a novel and critical evaluation of preparatory weight-shift amplitudes during FoG events. The intervention described represents an attractive 'rescue' strategy and should be further scrutinised regarding limitations posed by physical and cognitive deficits.

Fear of Falling Alters Anticipatory Postural Control during Cued Gait Initiation.

Fear of falling can have a profound influence on anticipatory postural control during dynamic balance tasks (e.g., rise-to-toes and leg-raise tasks), with fearful individuals typically exhibiting postural adjustments of smaller magnitudes prior to movement onset. However, very little is known about how fear of falling influences the generation of anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) during gait initiation; a task in which producing smaller APAs may compromise stability. Sixteen young adults initiated gait as fast as possible following an auditory cue during two conditions: Baseline (ground level), and Threat (fear of falling induced via a platform raised 1.1 m). While the magnitude and duration of APAs did not change between conditions, participants executed steps of shorter lengths during Threat. As APAs during gait initiation are typically proportionate to the length of the first step, the APAs during Threat are therefore disproportionately large (given the shorter step length). We suggest that such failure to scale the APA to the magnitude of the motor output represents a fear-related 'overcompensation', whereby fearful participants sought to ensure that the APA was sufficient for ensuring that their centre of mass was positioned above the support leg prior to gait initiation. During conditions of threat, participants also exhibited greater postural sway prior to initiating gait (i.e., following the auditory cue) and took longer to generate the APA (i.e., impaired reaction). As greater reaction times during voluntary stepping is consistently associated with increased fall-risk, we suggest this as one mechanism through which fear of falling may reduce balance safety.

Head flexion and different walking speeds do not affect gait stability in older females.

Head flexion is destabilizing in older individuals during quiet stance, yet the effect head flexion has on gait is not known. The study examined whether head flexion and gait parameters were altered when walking freely and fixed to a visual target, at different walking speeds. 15 young (23±4years) and 16 older (76±6years) healthy females walked at three different walking speeds (slow, comfortable, and fast) under two visual conditions (natural and fixed [focusing on a visual target set at eye level]). Head flexion was assessed using 2D video analysis, whilst gait parameters (step length, double support time, step time, and gait stability ratio) were recorded during a 9m flat walkway. A mixed design ANOVA was performed for each variable, with age as the between-subject factor and, visual condition and walking speed as within-subject factors. When walking freely, older displayed a greater need for head flexion between walking speeds (P<0.05) when compared to young. Walking under fixed condition reduced head flexion at all walking speeds in the older (P<0.05), but had no effect on the young (P>0.05). Walking at different speeds showed no difference in head flexion when walking under either visual condition and had no effect on gait stability for both groups. Despite older displaying differences in head flexion between visual conditions, there was no effect on gait parameters. Walking speed presented trivial difference in head flexion in older females, whilst overall gait stability was unaffected by different walking speeds.