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JOURNAL
OF
SPORTS SCIENCE &
MEDICINE
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Research
article
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THE RELATION BETWEEN MILD LEG-LENGTH INEQUALITY AND ABLE-BODIED GAIT ASYMMETRY |
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Matthew K. Seeley1  ,
Brian R. Umberger2, Jody L. Clasey3 and Robert Shapiro3 |
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1Department of Exercise Sciences, Brigham Young University, 2Department of Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 3Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, USA |
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© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2010) 9, 572 - 579 |
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| ABSTRACT | |||
| The causes of able-bodied gait asymmetries are unclear. Mild (<
3 cm) leg-length inequality (LLI) may be one cause of these asymmetries;
however, this idea has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of
this study was to investigate the nature of the relationship between LLI
and able-bodied gait asymmetries. We hypothesized that subjects (n = 26)
with relatively large LLI, quantified radiographically, would display less
symmetrical gait than subjects with relatively small LLI. Gait asymmetries
for joint kinematics and joint kinetics were determined using standard gait
analysis procedures. Symmetry coefficients were used to quantify bilateral
gait symmetry for sagittal-plane hip, knee, and ankle joint angles, moments,
and powers. A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) was used
to evaluate the relationship between LLI and the aforementioned symmetry
coefficients. Also, these symmetry coefficients were compared between subjects
with relatively small LLI (LLI < 1 cm; n = 19) and relatively large LLI
(LLI > 1 cm; n = 7). Statistically significant relationships were observed
between LLI and the symmetry coefficient for knee joint moment (r = -0.48)
and power (r = -0.51), and ankle joint moment (r = -0.41) and power (r =
-0.42). Similarly, subjects with relatively large LLI exhibited significantly
lower symmetry coefficients for knee joint moment (p = 0.40) and power (p
= 0.35), and ankle joint moment (p = 0.40) and power (p = 0.22) than subjects
with relatively small LLI. Degree of bilateral symmetry for knee and ankle
joint kinetics appears to be related to LLI in able- bodied gait. This finding
supports the idea that LLI is one cause of able-bodied gait asymmetries.
Other factors, however, are also likely to contribute to these gait asymmetries;
these may include other morphological asymmetries as well as asymmetrical
neuromuscular input to the lower limb muscles.
Key words: Leg length, gait, asymmetry, kinematics, kinetics. |
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