title: Radiological outcome and gait function of SCFE patients after growth arrest.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) represents the most common disorder of the hip in adolescents and a preliminary stage of degenerative joint disease. Up to now, functional outcome evaluation measured by objective instruments has been commonly neglected. The present study investigates whether the pathoanatomy of the hip joint after SCFE-analyzed on a standard X-ray-match functional results gained by three-dimensional gait analysis. A variation of functional outcome depending on the radiological findings after growth arrest is hypothesized.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven SCFE patients after growth arrest [mean age 18.5 years, standard deviation (SD) 4.61] with unilateral affection were included. The pathoanatomy of the hip joint was classified according to the radiological index of Heyman and Herndon and to aspherity. Three-dimensional gait analysis parameters were evaluated and subgroup analysis was performed according to the radiological results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The radiological findings revealed very good results in general (average comprehensive index of Heyman and Herndon 94 ± 9 %, aspherity grade <2). Significant deviations of gait parameters in relation to the radiological result were an increase in step width, sagittal range of motion (ROM) of the pelvis and foot progression for the worse subgroup.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken as a whole, the pathoanatomy of the hip joint after SCFE matched the functional results gained by gait analysis. Functional outcome varied slightly depending on the radiological findings after growth arrest. Differences were most pronounced for foot progression. Only with the help of gait analysis was it possible to describe deviations more precisely and objectively. Further studies are required in order to show which alterations are relevant for the development of secondary osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Westhoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weimann-Stahlschmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zilkens
authors.affiliation: Department of Computational Statistics, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Reinhart
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willers
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Medical Faculty, University of Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krauspe
keywords: Growth arrest; Instrumented gait analysis; Radiological outcome; Slipped capital femoral epiphysis