Table 2

Gait characteristics in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and age and sex matched able-bodied adults

Parameter

Variable

Able-bodied Adults (n = 12)

Early RA Patients (n = 12)

Mean Difference

95%CI Difference

Spatiotemporal

Walking speed (m/s)

1.30 (0.17)

1.05 (0.20)

-0.24

(-0.41, -0.08)

Double-support (%GC)

15.8 (3.4)

19.3 (4.7)

3.5

(0, 7.0)

Kinematics

Initial foot contact angle (deg)

13.8 (2.4)

14.2 (4.5)

-0.4

(-3.5, 2.7)

Terminal stance heel rise (deg)

-85.7 (5.4)

-78.9 (9.6)

6.7

(0.1, 13.5)

Minimum arch height (mm)

31 (5)

29 (7)

-2

(-8, 3)

Peak eversion (deg)

-4.4 (3.4)

-5.5 (9.8)

-1.1

(-7.5, 5.4)

Kinetics/Moments/Power

Peak force loading response (BW)

1.11 (0.12)

1.05 (0.12)

-0.07

(-0.17, 0.04)

Peak force terminal stance (BW)

1.12 (0.62)

1.12 (0.61)

0

(-0.05, 0.05)

Peak plantarflexion moment (Nm/kg)

-1.6 (0.1)

-1.5 (0.1)

0

(-0.1, 0.1)

Peak ankle joint power (W/kg)

4.6 (1.6)

3.4 (1.0)

-1.3

(-2.4, 0.2)

Foot pressure

CoP at 50% foot length (% stance)

44.2 (5.0)

44.3 (10.8)

0.1

(-7.2, 7.4)

Lesser toes contact area (cm^-2)

8.1 (1.9)

7.6 (3.1)

-0.5

(-2.7, 1.7)

Midfoot contact area (cm^-2)

19.4 (6.5)

24.6 (7.2)

5.3

(-0.6, 11.1)

Forefoot peak pressure (kPa)

553 (193)

672 (255)

119

(-73, 311)

CI = confidence interval; BW = body weight (vertical ground reaction force normalised to body weight)

Turner et al. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2006 7:102   doi:10.1186/1471-2474-7-102