title: The gait function of slipped capital femoral epiphysis in patients after growth arrest and its correlation with the clinical outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) represents the preliminary stage of osteoarthritis. Reliable tools for outcome evaluation should be developed to prevent persisting defects. The functional outcome of SCFE-patients after growth arrest is analysed by instrumented 3D-gait analysis (GA). The results are matched to the clinical examination findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 39 SCFE patients after growth arrest (18.8 years; BMI 26.5 kg/m²) with unilateral affection were included. The clinical results were classified according to Harris hip and clinical Heyman Herndon scores. 3D-GA-parameters were evaluated and compared to the sound side and a group of 40 healthy adults (28.0 years; 21.9 kg/m²). The subgroup analysis was performed according to clinical results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical examination revealed very good results. GA could detect even small alterations. Some parameters indicated sustained functional impairments: Compared to the control group patients' walking speed (p = 0.022), step frequency (p < 0.001) and single support of the slip side (p < 0.001) decreased, while step width (p = 0.014), double support (p = 0.004) and stance time of sound side increased (p = 0.001). For kinematics patients, the sagittal range of motion (ROM) of pelvis (p < 0.001) and the external rotation of the ankle on both sides increased (p = 0.011) and sagittal ROM of hip (p = 0.002) and knee flexion of slip side (p < 0.001) decreased. The sagittal ROM of the ankle on the slip side decreased compared to the sound side (p = 0.003). Subgroup analysis revealed a positive correlation between clinically unsatisfying results and GA parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional impairments in SCFE-patients can be found even after growth arrest. Alterations are explained partly by the disease and partly by patients' constitution. BMI-matched controls and long-term follow-up are needed.
authors: Medical Faculty, Department of Orthopaedics, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany. westhoff@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
authors: Bettina
authors: B
authors: Westhoff
authors: Katharina
authors: K
authors: Ruhe
authors: Kristina
authors: K
authors: Weimann-Stahlschmidt
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Zilkens
authors: Reinhart
authors: R
authors: Willers
authors: Rüdiger
authors: R
authors: Krauspe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006128:Growth; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D060048:Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphyses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult