Affiliations: [a] Department of Clinical Science, Graduate School of Health and Welfare, Dankook University, Republic of Korea
| [b] Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Republic of Korea
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Sang Seok Yeo, PhD, PT, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Mailing Address: 119, Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungnam, 330-714, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 41 550 1462; Fax: +82 41 559 7934; E-mail: eangbul@hanmail.net.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE:Subjective visual vertical (SVV) deviation can indicate impairments of motion perception and spatial orientation in individuals with vestibular disorders. This study investigated the influence of SVV on tandem gait ability by assessing differences between temporal, spatial, and kinematic characteristics in young adults. METHODS:We recruited sixteen young adults with increased SVV and 17 age-matched control subjects. All subjects recruited for this study were with no history of neurological or musculoskeletal diseases. Knee and hip-joint kinematic data, spatio-temporal parameters, and gait variability were measured during tandem gait. RESULTS:Stride time variability and stride velocity variability were significantly greater in the experimental group than the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, a significant correlation was observed between stride time variability and SVV results (r = 0.345, p < 0.05). However, hip and knee joint angles were non-significantly different in the experimental and control groups (p > 0.05) and spatio-temporal parameters were similar between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION:Stride time variability and stride velocity variability during tandem gait were significantly different in the experimental and control groups. We presume that increased SVV deviation is related to greater gait variability during tandem gait.
Keywords: Tandem gait, subjective visual vertical, gait analysis, gait variability
