Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Gait analysis technology is not yet widely applied in analyzing sole pressure distribution for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients, and the foot pressure database of KOA patients’ remains undeveloped.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the different gait characteristics of patients with KOA and normal young people.
METHODS: The footscan plate system was used to test the gait parameters of 40 patients with KOA and 10 normal people when walking. Gait phase, the contacting time between every plantar area and ground, foot axis angle and peak pressure were evaluated.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The contacting time between every plantar area and ground of KOA patients was higher than the normal young people, and the region of heel medial and heel lateral had significant differences; the time percentage of initial contact phase and forefoot push off phase of KOA were lower than normal group while foot flat phase was higher than normal group; the peak pressure of heel medial and heel lateral were lower than normal young people. The gait indexes of patients with KOA had the distinctive quality. Patients with KOA and normal young people had obvious difference, including the heel contacting time, the time percentage of initial contact phase, foot flat phase and forefoot push off phase. The heel lateral muscle’s activity, balance and control ability are weaker in patients with KOA than those of normal young people.