Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Clinical Gait Analysis and Gait Rehabilitation
A collaboration between:
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Gait Analysis in Adults with Osteoarthritis
Finding relief for osteoarthritis.
Described by the World Health Organization as a potential epidemic, osteoarthritis is a major contributor to the cost of health care services in an ageing society.
In Australia, about 3.1 million people live with arthritis and more than half of these people are between the working ages of 15 and 64 years.
Gait analysis is an important tool in researching osteoarthritis – the most common form of arthritis. Our researchers are studying osteoarthritis in knees and feet, with a particular focus on the effects of surgery.
For example, total knee replacement is used as a last resort to treat osteoarthritic knees, but the surgery is being performed more and more often (approximately 25,000 annually in Australia) and in younger patients. This will mean an increase in more difficult and less predictable revision procedures as a result of wear and loosening of the primary prosthesis.
It is therefore important to understand the reasons why knee replacement surgery succeeds or fails.
Researchers are using 3D motion analysis to evaluate how patients complete a variety of tasks after total knee replacement surgery. The results will provide valuable information about how patients alter their gait after surgery and enable researchers to develop a standard evaluation protocol for both before and after total knee replacement surgery.
Another project is looking at how gait patterns of people with osteoarthritis of the knee can reflect and/or contribute to their symptoms. A group of patients undergoing high tibial osteotomy (realignment surgery) will be evaluated both before and after surgery.
Researchers are also studying the effect of modified shoes or orthoses on people with osteoarthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint in the toes.