Arthrodesis of ankle, hindfoot increased ambulatory function

Patients with severe ankle and hindfoot arthritis who underwent arthrodesis experienced increases in gait velocity, ankle moment and hip motion and power, according to study results.

Researchers prospectively studied 21 patients with severe ankle and hindfoot arthritis who underwent unilateral tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with an intramedullary nail with 3-D gait analysis at a minimum of 1 year postoperatively. Temporospatial measurements included cadence, step length, walking velocity and total support time, and kinematic parameters included sagittal plane motion of the ankle, knee and hip. The kinetic parameters measured by the researchers included sagittal plane ankle power and moment and hip power. The researchers also analyzed gait symmetry by comparing the step lengths on the affected and unaffected sides.

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Source: Healio