Description
The purpose of this paper was to study the effect of 2 commonly used positions of immobilization on gait using inertial sensor technology.
In this study, 39 healthy athletes were evaluated without any history of musculoskeletal pathology, operations or any limb and spine deformities. In all athletes the gait was evaluated using the G walk sensor (BTS Bioengineering). The sensor has 4 inertial units and is placed either at the level of L2 or the level of S2 vertebra. The patient is asked to perform various predetermined tasks and the device wirelessly transmits data to a laptop. A dedicated software, G Studio, analyses the data and provides several parameters. In this study, the Walk + test, the Turn test and the Timed up and Go (TUG) test were evaluated. Every subject was asked to perform all 3 tests without any shoulder immobilization, with the upper limb in a sling and with the upper limb immobilized in a 30o abduction pillow.
Data were expressed as mean±standard deviation (S.D.) for continuous variables and as frequencies, percentages for categorical variables. One factor Repeated Measures ANOVA model was used for the comparison of variables between different positions. Pairwise multiple comparisons were performed using the Bonferroni test. Friedman test and Wilcoxon test were used in case of violation of normality. All tests were two-sided, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Immobilization in abduction significantly affects the stride length (Table 1) in the walk + test. Additionally, the same result was noted in the TUG test with shoulder abducted but not when a sling was used. (Table 2)
Should immobilization in abduction significantly affects various biomechanical parameters of walking and should be considered after shoulder surgery.
