1. Gait Biomechanics in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease After Revascularization
Sarah Bakera, Sara A. Myersa,c, Iraklis Pipinosb,c, and Jason Johanningb,c
Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE United States
Omaha Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center, Omaha, NE
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
INTRODUCTION
RESULTS
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a consequence of atherosclerotic blockages in the lower extremity arteries resulting in muscle pain known as claudication.
PAD is associated with 3-6 times increased cardiovascular morbidity1.
Patients with PAD walk differently than their healthy counterparts.
Surgical revascularization to restore blood flow is the primary intervention2, but whether walking (i.e., gait) patterns, are restored following revascularization is not known.
Purpose: To determine if gait patterns are restored after patients with PAD have been revascularized.
Baseline
Six – Month Post
DISCUSSION
Ankle plantarflexor power significantly decreased six- months post revscularization in the pain free condition.
Ankle dorsiflexor torque significantly decreased from pain free to pain in the baseline condition.
Significant improvements in the six minute walk distance after revascularization are similar with previous literature.
METHODS N
Age (yrs)
Height (m)
Weight (kg)
Baseline 10
65.3±7.56
1.766±0.05
88.22±18.05
6 Months
66.1±7.3
1.761±0.04
89.64±18.4
Subjects performed gait assessment at baseline and six-months post-revascularization.
These trials were used to capture ground reaction forces.
Five trials of walking were collected for each limb (pain free).
Each subject rested for one minute between each trial
Overground trials were collected again, but without one minute of rest.
The six-minute walk test is performed by having the subjects cover as much ground as possible in six minutes.
CONCLUSIONS
Surgical revascularization performed to improve blood flow to the legs leads to some gait and functional improvements.
PAD causes changes to muscles that are not immediately restored following revascularization. This likely prevents complete gait restoration within the six month.
Further testing after muscles have had more time to recover should be investigated.
REFERENCES
1. McDermott, M et al., (2001). Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(6),
2. Tepe, G et al., (2014). Circulation, 131:
Dependent variables included dorsiflexor torque, plantarflexor torque, ankle plantarflexor power, and six minute walk distance.
Dependent t-tests were used to compare baseline with post-revascularization values (p=0.05).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Funding was provided by NIH (R01AG and P20GM109090), and VA RR&D (1I01RX000604).