Altered gait mechanics are associated with severity of chondropathy after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome

• Published in: Gait & posture 2020-03, Vol.77, p.175-181
• Main Authors: Brown-Taylor, Lindsey, Wilson, Jordan, McNally, Michael, Perry, Jennifer, Jackson, Rebecca D., Hewett, Timothy E., Ryan, John, Knopp, Michael V., Payne, Jason E., Di Stasi, Stephanie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Arthroscopy; Biomechanical Phenomena; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Cartilage, Articular - physiopathology; Case-Control Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Femoracetabular Impingement - pathology; Femoracetabular Impingement - physiopathology; Femoracetabular Impingement - surgery; Gait - physiology; Hip Joint - pathology; Hip Joint - physiopathology; Humans; Loading response; Male; Middle Aged; Post-operative; Postoperative Period; Severity of Illness Index; Total support; Treatment Outcome; Walking; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0966-6362; 1879-2219
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2019.11.003

•Moderate-severe chondropathy was prevalent in half of the post-arthroscopy sample.•Those with moderate-severe chondropathy demonstrated reduced total support moments.•Those with no-mild chondropathy redistributed support away from the hip, toward the ankle.•Suboptimal post-operative self-reported hip function was prevalent across groups. Suboptimal patient-reported function and movement impairments often persist after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS). Individuals with FAIS with preoperative cartilage pathology (ie. chondropathy) demonstrate distinct movement patterns and have worse post-operative outcomes. It is unknown whether the presence of chondropathy after surgery negatively affects movement and function. Do sagittal plane gait mechanics differ based on chondropathy severity following arthroscopy for FAIS? A cross-sectional walking gait analysis was performed for 25 participants post-arthroscopy (2.48 ± 1.38y) and 12 healthy controls (HCs). Peak total support moment (TSM) and relative contributions of the hip, knee, and ankle were calculated during loading response. The Hip Osteoarthritis MRI Scoring System was used to categorize the FAIS group into no-mild or moderate-severe chondropathy groups based on 3 T magnetic resonance imaging of their surgical hip. The interactions of group by limb were evaluated for kinetic variables, covaried by gait speed. Groups did not differ based on age, BMI and sex distribution (P ≥ 0.14). 13 participants with FAIS presented with moderate-severe chondropathy and 12 presented with no-mild chondropathy. Participants with moderate-severe chondropathy walked significantly slower than both other groups (P = 0.006) and demonstrated lower peak TSM than those with no-mild chondropathy (P = 0.002). Participants with no-mild chondropathy demonstrated lower hip (61.5 %) and greater ankle (17.7 %) contributions to the TSM on the involved limb compared to the moderate-severe group (hip:73.4 %, P = 0.07; ankle:10.5 %, P = 0.007). Slower gait speed alone did not explain the lower TSM strategy in participants with moderate-severe chondropathy. Interestingly, the joint contribution strategy of this group was not different than HCs. Participants with no-mild chondropathy demonstrated a TSM strategy that shifted the demand away from their hip and toward their ankle. Given the small sample size, and large variability in joint strategies, future work needs to examine whether these alterations in gait stra