Quantitative gait analysis after medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis

J Arthroplasty. 2003 Sep;18(6):751-9. doi: 10.1016/s0883-5403(03)00152-9.

Abstract

This study characterized the footstep pattern and knee kinematics during walking in 12 patients who had undergone unicompartmental knee arthroplasty for unilateral medial compartment osteoarthritis. Patients had all achieved a successful recovery and were tested at least 1 year after surgery. Gait analysis was conducted during self-selected comfortable and fast walking conditions using a 3-dimensional motion analysis system and electronic walkway. Results showed that patients were able to increase their walking speed by 28% by increasing both stride length and cadence. All but one patient showed a biphasic pattern of flexion-extension motion about the treated knee. In 8 of 12 patients, significant increases in knee flexion were seen in the treated limb compared with the contralateral limb, the cause and ramifications of which are yet to be determined.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / methods*
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Female
  • Gait*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee / physiopathology*
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee / surgery*
  • Walking