Influence of simulated leg length discrepancy on the spinal kinematics during stance phases

Abstract

Exploring the walking of LLD are clinically helpful in understanding which LLD level contributed to the changes at the upper limb. The aim of this work was to determine which LLD level during single leg stance and double leg stance contributed to the spinal changes. Eighteen healthy male subjects were induced with 0.5 cm to 4.0 cm height of insoles with interval 0.5 cm accordingly and their spine motion during the stance phase was captured by 5 Oqus cameras and evaluated by using Qualisys Track Manager (QTM) software. The effect of LLD height on spinal kinematics were assessed using spinal curvature parameters which are the lateral bending angle at lumbar (LBAL), the shoulder-girdle and pelvic line bending angle (SPBA) and the shoulder-girdle line and pelvic line rotation angle (SPRA). 4 cm LLD height at double stance phase created a relatively larger LBAL when compared with normal walking. The influence of LLD on SPBA and SPRA was very minimal.