Ankle movements during normal gait evaluated by flexible electrogoniometer

Abstract

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: To evaluate ankle movements of healthy individuals walking on a treadmill, by means of a flexible electrogoniometer. METHOD: Dorsiflexion and plantar flexion and eversion/inversion movements were recorded for 90 seconds at a velocity of 5.0 km/h. Ten healthy young men of mean age 21.4 § 2.99 years and mean height 1.62 § 0.22 meters took part in this study. The data were analyzed descriptively (mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum). In the sagittal plane, the gait cycle was analyzed at three times, taking the movement peaks: foot flat (FF), midstance (M) and toe off (TO). The inversion and eversion angles corresponding to these phases were identified, as well as movement peaks during gait cycles. Inter and intra-subject coefficients of variability (CV) were calculated. RESULTS: The mean values for the sagittal plane, for the left and right ankles were, respectively: 7ı and 4ı at FF, 2ı and 7ı at M, and 24ı and 19ı at TO. For the frontal plane, the results were inversion of 5ı and 3ı FF, 4ı and 5ı at M, and 15ı and 16ı at TO. The peak values were inversion of 17ı and 18ı and eversion of 1ı. The maximum intra-subject CV was 0.39, and the maximum inter-subject CV was 0.44. CONCLUSION: The results obtained from the electrogoniometer were relatively similar to data reported in the literature for the sagittal plane, but not for the frontal plane. The discrepancies between studies measuring ankle movements suggest the need for standardization of the recording procedures. Key words: gait; ankle; kinematics; electrogoniometer