Serial assessments to determine normalization of gait following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports 2009-08, Vol.19 (4), p.569-575
• Main Authors: Minning, S. J., Myer, G. D., Mangine, R. E., Eifert-Mangine, M., Colosimo, A. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Adolescent; Adult; Anterior Cruciate Ligament - surgery; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Exercise Test; Female; Gait - physiology; Humans; Joint surgery; Knee; ligament reconstruction; Ligaments; Male; Multivariate Analysis; Orthopedic Procedures; Postoperative Period; Rehabilitation; Rehabilitation - standards; subjective function; Walking; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0905-7188; 1600-0838
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00818.x

There is an increased emphasis to identify clinically applicable methods that quantify gait deficits following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The purpose of this study was to perform serial gait assessments in a clinical setting to determine whether and when clinical gait parameters normalize in patients following ACLR. The hypothesis was that a clinically available gait treadmill would quantify gait deficits measured at 4 weeks post‐reconstruction. The secondary hypothesis was that patients would demonstrate incremental improvements in these gait parameters measured at each interval up to 12 weeks post‐reconstruction, and that the objectively measured improvements would correlate to the patient's subjective rating of function. Fifteen subjects, five male and 10 female, who had initial unilateral anterior cruciate ligament injury were selected for this study on the basis of operative data. All subjects were evaluated in a physical therapy clinic within 3 days following ACLR and were enrolled in a standardized rehabilitation program. The dependent gait variables of step length, stance time and gait velocity were measured at 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks post‐ACLR on a commercially available gait treadmill. A 2 × 4 multivariate analysis of variance (2 within factors) with measures for limb involvement (uninvolved and involved) and repeated measures for time (4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks) was used to assess the interactions and the main effects on the gait variables of stance time and step length. The results of this study supported the hypothesis that gait deficits and serial improvements can be objectively quantified in a clinical setting (P