title: Assessment of walking speed by a goniometer-based method.
abstract: A quantitative gait analysis is essential to evaluate the kinematic, kinetic and electromyographic gait patterns. These patterns are strongly related to the individual spatio-temporal parameters that characterize each subject. In particular, gait speed is one of the most important spatio-temporal gait parameters: it influences kinematic, kinetic parameters, and muscle activity too. The aim of the present study is to propose a new method to assess stride speed using only 1-degree-of-freedom electrogoniometers positioned on hip and knee joints. The model validation is performed comparing the model results with those automatically obtained from another gait analysis system: GAITRite. The results underline the model reliability. These results show that essential spatio-temporal gait parameters, and in particular the speed of each stride, can be determined during normal walking using only two 1-dof electrogoniometers. The method is easy-to-use and does not interfere with regular walking patterns.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maranesi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fioretti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006615:Hip / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*