title: Gait characteristics and quality of life perception of patients following tibial plateau fracture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the long-term functional outcome as measured by gait patterns and quality of life assessment of patients with high-energy tibial plateau fracture compared to matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight patients were evaluated in a case-controlled comparison. Twenty-two patients with tibial plateau fracture were evaluated after 3.1 (1.63) years (sd) from injury. Patients underwent a computerized spatiotemporal gait test and completed the SF-12 health survey. 16 healthy subjects, matched for age and gender served as a control group. The main outcome measures for this study were spatiotemporal gait characteristics, physical quality of life and mental quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were found in all gait parameters between patients with tibial plateau fracture and healthy controls. Patients with tibial plateau fracture walked slower by 18% compared to the control group (p < 0.001), had slower cadence by 8% compared (p = 0.002) to the control group and had shorter step length in the involved leg by 11% and in the uninvolved leg by 12% compared to the control group (p = 0.006 and p = 0.003, respectively). Patients with tibial plateau fracture also showed shorter single limb support (SLS) in the involved leg by 12% compared to the uninvolved leg and 5% in the uninvolved leg compared to the control group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.017, respectively). Significant differences were found in the Short Form (SF)-12 scores. Physical Health Score of patients with tibial plateau fracture was 65% lower compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001), and Mental Health Score of the patients was 40% lower compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001). Finally, significant correlations were found between SF-12 and gait patterns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term deviations in gait and quality of life exist in patients following tibial plateau fracture. Patients following tibial plateau fracture present altered spatiotemporal gait patterns compared to healthy controls, as well as self-reported quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sourasky Medical Center, Weizmann St 10, Tel-Aviv, Israel. yanivarsh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yaniv
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Warschawski
authors.affiliation: AposTherapy Research Group, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elbaz
authors.affiliation: AposTherapy Research Group, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Ganit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.affiliation: Biorobotics and Biomechanics Lab, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haim
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sourasky Medical Center, Weizmann St 10, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Elis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacov
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sourasky Medical Center, Weizmann St 10, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grundshtein
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sourasky Medical Center, Weizmann St 10, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ely
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steinberg
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Gait; Quality of life; Tibial plateau fracture