Evaluation of the walking pattern in clubfoot patients who received early intensive treatment

The walking pattern in a group of nine adult male subjects who had received early intensive treatment for congenital clubfoot was evaluated and compared to the walking pattern in a control group of 15 adult healthy male subjects. All subjects were filmed with a five-camera video system as they walked across two force plates. A three-dimensional inverse dynamics approach was used to calculate average joint angles, moments, power, and work. The results showed that there were no differences in the joint angles between the two groups. The overall patterns of the joint moments were very similar in the two groups. However, analysis revealed a smaller ankle joint moment and larger knee and hip joint moments in those with clubfoot. It was concluded that the larger knee and hip joint moments served as compensation for the smaller ankle moment. The reduced ankle moment and work developed about the ankle joint in the clubfeet could possibly be owing to weaker plantar flexors. In conclusion, gait analysis can be an important tool when evaluating treatment for clubfoot. However, further investigation is needed to determine whether the higher hip and knee joint moments observed in subjects with clubfoot may lead to the development of knee or hip joint pathologies.