Interventions improve gait regularity in patients with peripheral neuropathy while walking on an irregular surface under low light.

Richardson, JK, Thies, S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9889-2243, DeMott, TK and Ashton-Miller, JA 2004, 'Interventions improve gait regularity in patients with peripheral neuropathy while walking on an irregular surface under low light.' , Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52 (4) , pp. 510-515.

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Abstract

Objectives: To determine which, if any, of three inexpensive interventions improve gait regularity in patients with peripheral neuropathy (PN) while walking on an irregular surface under low-light conditions. Design: Observational. Setting: University of Michigan Biomechanics Research Laboratory. Participants: Forty-two patients with PN (20 women), mean age±standard deviation=64.5±9.7. Interventions: A straight cane, touch of a vertical surface, or semirigid ankle orthoses. Measurements: Step-width variability and range, step-time variability, and speed. Results: Subjects demonstrated significantly less step-width variability (mean=41.0±1.5, 36.9±1.6, 37.2±1.3, and 35.9±1.5?mm for baseline, cane, orthoses, and vertical surface, respectively; P<.0001) and range (182.7±7.4, 163.7±8.3, 164.3±7.4, 154.3±6.9?mm for baseline, cane, orthoses and vertical surface, respectively; P=.0006) with each of the interventions than under baseline conditions. Step-time variability significantly decreased with use of the orthoses and vertical surface but not the cane (P=.0001). Use of a cane, but not orthoses or vertical surface, was associated with decreased speed (0.79±0.03, 0.73±0.03, 0.79±0.03, 0.80±0.03 m/s for baseline, cane, orthoses, and vertical surface, respectively; P=.0001). Conclusion: Older patients with PN demonstrate improved spatial and temporal measures of gait regularity with the use of a cane, ankle orthoses, or touch of a vertical surface while walking under challenging conditions. The decreased speed and stigma associated with the cane and uncertain availability of a vertical surface suggest that the ankle orthoses may be the most practical intervention. Keywords: neuropathy; gait; balance; orthoses; assistive device

Item Type:	Article
Themes:	Subjects / Themes > R Medicine > R Medicine (General) Health and Wellbeing
Schools:	Schools > School of Environment and Life Sciences Schools > School of Health and Society > Centre for Health Sciences Research
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Publisher:	Blackwell Publishing
Refereed:	Yes
ISSN:	1532-5415
Depositing User:	H Kenna
Date Deposited:	09 Aug 2007 14:44
Last Modified:	27 Aug 2021 21:59
URI:	https://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/232

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