Gait Analysis with Ankle Arthrodesis Shoes during Level Walking and Stair Climbing

INTRODUCTION Arthrodesis of the ankle is an established operation. The lack of normal ankle movement after ankle arthrodesis reduced the ability of the patients to walk smoothly on the arthrodesis foot. It would have a more profound effect in negotiating stairs, because large ranges of dorsiflexion and plantarflexion are required to accomplish this activity. Although gait characteristics have been reported for this population during level walking [1-3], little information is available regarding the compensations required for stair ambulation. In addition, only a limited number of scientific studies on the biomechanics of normal stair climbing are available in the literature [4-10]. We hypothesize that the special-design shoes will benefit these patients. To examine the effect of the ankle arthrodesis shoe, an understanding of the in-shoe plantar pressures and kinematics of the foot with the ankle arthrodesis shoe during stair climbing is necessary. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the gait parameters and in-shoe plantar pressures during level walking, stair climbing and stair descending with the help of healthy volunteers so that the effect of the modified shoe for the foot with ankle arthrodesis could be assessed.