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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: The alterations in gait pattern of people with transfemoral amputation leave them more susceptible to musculoskeletal injury. Principal component analysis is a method that reduces the amount of gait data and allows analyzing the entire waveform.
OBJECTIVES: To use the principal component analysis to compare the ground reaction force and center of pressure displacement waveforms obtained during gait between able-bodied subjects and both limbs of individuals with transfemoral amputation. STUDY DESIGN: This is a transversal study with a convenience sample.
METHODS: We used a force plate and pressure plate to record the anterior-posterior, medial-lateral and vertical ground reaction force, and anterior-posterior and medial-lateral center of pressure positions of 12 participants with transfemoral amputation and 20 able-bodied subjects during gait. The principal component analysis was performed to compare the gait waveforms between the participants with transfemoral amputation and the able-bodied individuals.
RESULTS: The principal component analysis model explained between 74% and 93% of the data variance. In all ground reaction force and center of pressure waveforms relevant portions were identified; and always at least one principal component presented scores statistically different (p < 0.05) between the groups of participants in these relevant portions.
CONCLUSION: Principal component analysis was able to discriminate many portions of the stance phase between both lower limbs of people with transfemoral amputation compared to the able-bodied participants. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Principal component analysis reduced the amount of data, allowed analyzing the whole waveform, and identified specific sub-phases of gait that were different between the groups. Therefore, this approach seems to be a powerful tool to be used in gait evaluation and following the rehabilitation status of people with transfemoral amputation.
Language: en |