Assessment of Gait after Treatment of Tibial Nonunion with the Ilizarov Method

Łukasz Pawik, Felicja Fink-Lwow, Andżelika Pajchert Kozłowska, Łukasz Szelerski, Sławomir Żarek, Radosław Górski, Malwina Pawik, Wiktor Urbanski, Paweł Reichert and Piotr Morasiewicz
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Łukasz Pawik: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Felicja Fink-Lwow: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Andżelika Pajchert Kozłowska: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Łukasz Szelerski: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Sławomir Żarek: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Radosław Górski: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Malwina Pawik: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Wiktor Urbanski: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Paweł Reichert: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Piotr Morasiewicz: Department of Physiotherapy in Motor Disorders and Dysfunctions, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Al. IJ Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Tibial nonunion is a common bone union disorder leading to abnormal gait, and thus reducing quality of life in the social dimension. Research question: The aim of our work was to comprehensively assess gait parameters of patients who had undergone Ilizarov treatment for tibial nonunion compared to a control group of healthy individuals. Methods: This study evaluated patients treated for aseptic tibial nonunion with the Ilizarov method. 24 patients with a mean age of 55.0 years were included in the study. The control group consisted of 32 healthy volunteers with no significant medical history who were selected to match the gender and age of patients in the study group so that the groups were homogeneous. A Zebris Medical GmbH pedobarographic platform was used to assess the gait parameters. Results: For all gait parameters examined, force forefoot max, force backfoot max, step length, stance phase, swing phase and step time, we observed statistically significant differences between the group that had undergone treatment and the control group. In the group of patients, statistically significant differences between the operated lower limb and the non-operated limb were only observed for the force forefoot max and step time parameters ( p = 0.029 and p = 0.045, respectively). Patients presented a longer loading of the operated limb (0.720 s) than the non-operated limb (0.635 s). For the stride time, step cadence and gait velocity parameters, healthy subjects achieved much better results during locomotion, and these differences were statistically significant at p < 0.001. Significance: Treatment of tibial nonunion with the Ilizarov method did not restore normal gait parameters in our group of patients. In fact, the gait parameters of patients were significantly worse than the healthy individuals in the control group. Furthermore, gait parameters following treatment were not symmetrical, and the dynamics of the musculoskeletal system remained impaired.

Keywords: gait; pedobarography; nonunion; tibia; Ilizarov method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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