title: Spatio-temporal gait analysis in children with cerebral palsy using, foot-worn inertial sensors.
abstract: A child's natural gait pattern may be affected by the gait laboratory environment. Wearable devices using body-worn sensors have been developed for gait analysis. The purpose of this study was to validate and explore the use of foot-worn inertial sensors for the measurement of selected spatio-temporal parameters, based on the 3D foot trajectory, in independently walking children with cerebral palsy (CP). We performed a case control study with 14 children with CP aged 6-15 years old and 15 age-matched controls. Accuracy and precision of the foot-worn device were measured using an optical motion capture system as the reference system. Mean accuracy ± precision for both groups was 3.4 ± 4.6 cm for stride length, 4.3 ± 4.2 cm/s for speed and 0.5 ± 2.9° for strike angle. Longer stance and shorter swing phases with an increase in double support were observed in children with CP (p=0.001). Stride length, speed and peak angular velocity during swing were decreased in paretic limbs, with significant differences in strike and lift-off angles. Children with cerebral palsy showed significantly higher inter-stride variability (measured by their coefficient of variation) for speed, stride length, swing and stance. During turning trajectories speed and stride length decreased significantly (p<0.01) for both groups, whereas stance increased significantly (p<0.01) in CP children only. Foot-worn inertial sensors allowed us to analyze gait spatiotemporal data outside a laboratory environment with good accuracy and precision and congruent results with what is known of gait variations during linear walking in children with CP.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology Unit, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brégou Bourgeois
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aminian
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Zambelli
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000293:Adolescent; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Child; Gait analysis; Inertial sensors