Identifying Gait Abnormalities in Patients with Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the biomechanical gait characteristics and quality of life of adults with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and how their gait compares to the gait of healthy controls. METHODS: Gait analyses were performed on 18 participants (9 FAI, 9 control) while walking barefoot in the Wolf Orthopeadic Biomechanics Lab. In addition, FAI participants completed general and region specific quality of life questionnaires. RESULTS: Hip moment (5.2%BW*ht vs. 4.96%BW*ht), toe out angle (12.36 ° vs. 8.15°), and lateral (3.55° vs. 2.18°) and forward (4.34° vs. 3.93°) pelvic tilt were not statistically different between groups. Trunk lean (1.33° vs. 0.36°), hip flexion angle (25.74° vs. 24.23°), & hip power (1.22W vs. 0.61W; p-value=0.32) were greater in the control group.CONCLUSION: The small sample size of this study does not allow the authors to make conclusions on the abnormalities in gait biomechanics in FAI patients. Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted.