The characteristics of gait in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease types I and II.
Certain typical gait characteristics such as foot-drop and foot supination are well described in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. These are directly related to the primary disease and due to the weakness of ankle dorsiflexors and everters characteristic of this hereditary neuropathy. We analysed 16 subjects aged 8-52 years old (11 with type I, 5 with type II Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) using three-dimensional gait analysis and identified kinematic features previously unreported. These patients showed a combination of tight tendo achillei, foot-drop, failure of plantar flexion and increased foot supination, but also presented with excessive internal rotation of the knee and/or tibia, knee hyperextension in stance, excessive external rotation at the hips and decreased hip adduction in stance (typical of a broad based gait). These proximal features could have been an adaptation to or consequence of the disrupted ankle and foot biomechanics, however a direct relation to the neuropathy is also possible since sub-normal muscle power was observed at the proximal levels in most subjects on both manual testing and kinetic analysis. Gait analysis is a useful tool in defining the characteristic gait of patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Newman
Christopher John
CJ
Central Remedial Clinic, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3, Ireland. christopher.Newman@chuv.ch
Walsh
Michael
M
O'Sullivan
Rory
R
Jenkinson
Ann
A
Bennett
Damien
D
Lynch
Bryan
B
O'Brien
Timothy
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006615:Hip / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012399:Rotation