GAIT VARIATION IN PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A CONTROLLED STUDY

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common chronic diseases which increase the individual’s disability and affects the patients gait as the disease progress. Thus identifying the changes in gait variables in knee osteoarthritis patients is important. Objectives: To compare the gait variables such as walking velocity, cadence, step length, walking base, and single support time, in both control group of people and in the disease group. Method: This descriptive cross sectional study conducted at physical therapy department National Hospital Sri Lanka. 120 participants were included for the study if they fulfill the inclusion criteria. The participants were divided in to Osteoarthritis and a control group. A walk way was used to collect data from the subjects. Participants were asked to walk once in a single direction in the walkway in their normal speed. Results: The group of females with knee osteoarthritis had significant levels between means of single support time, step length, walking velocity and cadence. Males with osteoarthritis showed significance in walking velocity. Healthy males and females showed a significant gait variation in step length and walking velocity. Osteoarthritis has an effect on the group of patients compared to healthy females. The single support time (15.62%), step length (8.5%), walking velocity (15.19%) and cadence (9.25%) showed reductions in gait parameters. Males with osteoarthritis showed a significant reduction in walking velocity (10.91%). Females with osteoarthritis has reduce single support time, step length, walking velocity and cadence and increase walking base compared to healthy control group of females. In the comparison among males, males with osteoarthritis have reduced step length, walking velocity, cadence and walking base but have same single support time, compared to healthy control group of males Conclusion: Osteoarthritis shows different patterns of affection in gait between genders.