Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-2024
Abstract
Highlights
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Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a multi-level disease.
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PAD diffusely impairs the performance of leg muscles.
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PAD causes similar irregularities in gait biomechanics regardless of where claudication pain is located in the leg.
Abstract
Background
The most common symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is intermittent claudication that involves the calf, thigh, and/or buttock muscles. How the specific location of this leg pain is related to altered gait, however, is unknown.
Objectives
We hypothesized that because the location of claudication symptoms uniquely affects different leg muscle groups in people with PAD, this would produce distinctive walking patterns.
Methods
A total of 105 participants with PAD and 35 age-matched older volunteers without PAD (CTRL) were recruited. Participants completed walking impairment questionnaires (WIQ), Gardner-Skinner progressive treadmill tests, the six-minute walk test, and we performed an advanced evaluation of the biomechanics of their overground walking. Participants with PAD were categorized into 4 groups according to their stated pain location(s): calf only (C, n = 43); thigh and calf (TC, n = 18); buttock and calf (BC, n = 15); or buttock, thigh, and calf (BTC, n = 29). Outcomes were compared between CTRL, C, TC, BC and BTC groups using a one-way ANOVA with post-hoc comparisons to identify and assess statistically significant differences.
Results
There were no significant differences between CTRL, C, TC, BC and BTC groups in distances walked or walking speed when either pain-free or experiencing claudication pain. Each participant with PAD had significantly dysfunctional biomechanical gait parameters, even when pain-free, when compared to CTRL (pain-free) walking data. During pain-free walking, out of the 18 gait parameters evaluated, we only identified significant differences in hip power generation during push-off (in C and TC groups) and in knee power absorption during weight acceptance (in TC and BC groups). There were no between-group differences in gait parameters while people with PAD were walking with claudication pain.
Conclusions
Our data demonstrate that PAD affects the ischemic lower extremities in a diffuse manner irrespective of the location of claudication symptoms.
Database Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01970332.
Recommended Citation
Rahman, H., Leutzinger, T., Hassan, M., Schieber, M., Koutakis, P., Fuglestad, M. A., DeSpiegelaere, H., Longo, G. M., Malcolm, P., Johanning, J. M., Casale, G. P., Pipinos, I. I., & Myers, S. A. (2023). Peripheral artery disease causes consistent gait irregularities regardless of the location of leg claudication pain. Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine, 67(3), 101793. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rehab.2023.101793
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Publication Title
Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine
Academic Level
faculty
DOI
10.1016/j.rehab.2023.101793
Comments
©2023 The Author(s).Under a Creative Commons license