An evaluation of accuracy and repeatability of a novel gait analysis device.
BACKGROUND
Restoration of gait is a particularly important patient-based functional outcome following lower extremity trauma. A new portable device which measures gait parameters, the IDEEA, may be particularly useful in evaluating post-traumatic gait parameters in the office setting, but the accuracy and repeatability of this device relative to standard gait laboratory footswitches are unknown.


METHODS
Twelve healthy subjects were tested simultaneously using the IDEEA device and standard gait laboratory footswitches, at slow, medium, and fast speeds. Parameters evaluated were single-limb support time (SLS), double-limb support time (DLS), swing phase duration (SPD), cycle duration, and cadence.


RESULTS
The repeatability between right and left measurements tended to be better for the IDEEA, and was at least as good as the foot switches. The absolute differences of the timed gait parameters between the two devices were all in the range of 0.03 s, which is within the data sampling resolution of the gait laboratory foot switches (0.04 s). Furthermore, assuming a 1-s gait cycle, these differences account for only 3% of the gait cycle, which is also well within the clinical parameters for evaluating and differentiating between treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
This device is accurate and repeatable, and may facilitate the evaluation of gait function in post-traumatic patients in settings outside of the traditional gait laboratory.
Gardner
Michael J
MJ
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY 10021, USA. gardnerm@hss.edu
Barker
Joseph U
JU
Briggs
Stephen M
SM
Backus
Sherry I
SI
Helfet
David L
DL
Lane
Joseph M
JM
Lorich
Dean G
DG
D000328:Adult; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results