Analysis of Selected Gait Variables in Patients Treated Surgically for Ankle Fractures

Introduction: Gait is the basic form of human motor skills resulting from a number of premises and conditions. Its stereotypes are influenced by a number of variables, including the consequences of traumatic injuries to the musculoskeletal system, especially the ankle joint and feet in the mechanism of ankle fractures and subtalar dislocations.Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate selected gait variables in surgically-treated patients with ankle fractures using the method of stable osteosynthesis (AO).Material and methods: The study included 35 patients operated on using the method of stable AO osteosynthesis due to ankle fractures, including 16 with tibiofibular syndesmosis (PS) injury in the Study Group (SG), and 36 healthy subjects without traumatic injuries to the ankle joint and feet constituting the Control Group (CG). The following were assessed: gait symmetry, average foot pressure distribution, and vertical reaction force in a static position, load distribution for each transition sequence and a vertical ground reaction force diagram characterising the force-time correlation.Results: The results of the tests carried out in static and dynamic conditions, as well as their statistical analysis, revealed changes in the gait stereotype depending on the observation time, dependence on body mass index (BMI) and changes in symmetry, mean pressure distribution and vertical ground reaction force.Conclusions: In patients treated for ankle fractures with the method of stable osteosynthesis, significant changes occur in selected variables characterising gait stereotype, which depend on the observation time. There was also a clear relationship between body mass index and the characteristics of selected gait variables, as well as changes in gait symmetry, mean pressure distribution and vertical ground reaction force.