title: [Analysis of gait and movement of upper limbs in muscular dystrophies].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective is to analyze gait and upper extremity movement in a sample of healthy individuals and patients with different muscular dystrophies and to determine the relationship of the obtained variables with the pattern of muscular involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gait and upper limb movement was analyzed with a three-dimensional photogrammetry system. Convenience sample of 28 healthy volunteers, 40 patients with myotonic dystrophy (MD), 9 patients with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) and 14 patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A (LGMD2A). Spatio-temporal and kinematic variables were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had lower velocity, cadence and shorter stride duration than healthy subjects. Gait and upper extremity kinematic variables suggested proximal muscular involvement in LGMD2A patients and distal muscular abnormalities in MD patients. The most characteristic finding in FSHD patients was related with dorsiflexor muscles' weakness. Some of the variables were also correlated to the patients' functional stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This analysis allows the distinction of kinematic and spatio-temporal patterns of gait and upper extremity movement that correlate with muscular dystrophy's phenotype. The use of this analysis in the clinical setting to assess disease progression or the potential effects of treatments requires further studies.
authors.affiliation: Ilundain Fundazioa, Hospital Donostia, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa. fmoreno@hzum.osakidetza.net
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moreno Izco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendioroz Iriarte
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Poza Aldea
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Martí Massó
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López de Munain
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*