title: Gait strategy in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome hypermobility type: a kinematic and kinetic evaluation using 3D gait analysis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to quantify the gait patterns of adults with joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (JHS/EDS-HT) hypermobility type, using Gait Analysis. We quantified the gait strategy in 12 JHS/EDS-HT adults individuals (age: 43.08+6.78 years) compared to 20 healthy controls (age: 37.23±8.91 years), in terms of kinematics and kinetics. JHS/EDS-HT individuals were characterized by a non-physiological gait pattern. In particular, spatio-temporal parameters evidenced lower anterior step length and higher stance phase duration in JHS/EDS-HT than controls. In term of kinematics, in JHS/EDS-HT patients the main gait limitations involved pelvis, distal joints and ankle joint. Conversely, hip and knee joint showed physiological values. Ankle moment and power revealed reduced peak values during terminal stance. Differences in stiffness at hip and ankle joints were found between JHS/EDS-HT and controls. JHS/EDS-HT patients showed significant decreased of Kh and Ka parameters very probably due to congenital hypotonia and ligament laxity. These findings help to elucidate the complex biomechanical changes in JHS/EDS-HT and may have a major role in the multidimensional evaluation and tailored management of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Bioeng. Dept. Politecnico di Milano, P.za Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cimolin
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rigoldi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castori
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Celletti
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albertini
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camerota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D004535:Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D007700:Kinetics; D008022:Ligaments / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009122:Muscle Hypertonia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012015:Reference Standards