Clinical meaning of the torque between stance leg and ground for the analysis of gait mechanism *

Journal/Book: (c) Springer-Verlag 1993 Clin Investig (1993) 71 :214 - 220. 1993;

Abstract: Klinik fur Physikalische Medizin. Universität München Original Article Summary. Transversal torque between the stance leg and the ground was measured in I69 test persons with normal gait (91 women 78 men; ages 15 - 79 years) using three-dimensional force plates. Taking the average of six to ten single steps produces reproducible person- and group-specific data. This permits the isolation and study of individual solutions to specific problems of locomotion so-called gait mechanisms. The relatively great torque during the double-stance phase is caused mainly by the medially directed short-term impact peak at heel strike with the stride length as lever arm. Double-stance torque is therefore determined by motion dynamics and does not help in understanding individual gait mechanisms. Torque measured during the single-stance phase is in comparison rather small and is interindividually relatively variable. Experimentally measured torque is considered in terms of various hypotheses concernine the creation of torque in the human gait. Men obviously tend for reasons of equilibrium and stability to compensate the various torques. Better than the more known vertical sagittal and frontal force components the remaining torque represents the individual problem solution and therefore permits the study of specific gait mechanisms both physiological and pathological. Using the characteristic gait of patients with hemiplegia as an example it is shown that pathological torque observed systematically on the nonaffected side in such patients is a quantitative measure of the trunk rotation necessary to move the plegic side forward. Measurement of this torque therefore permits precise determination of the degree of damage as well as quantitative control and objective documentation of the rehabilitation progress. *Dedicated to Prof. Dr. N. Zollner on the ooation of his 70th birthday hl

Keyword(s): Gait mechanism - Torque in humsn gait - Ground reaction forces - Gait analysis

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