Elsevier

Gait & Posture

Volume 54, May 2017, Pages 277-283
Gait & Posture

Full length article
Segmental kinematic analysis of planovalgus feet during walking in children with cerebral palsy

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2017.03.020Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Milwaukee Foot Model able to account for underlying bony anatomy.

  • Planovalgus hindfoot not always more everted than typically-developing hindfoot.

  • Valuable tool to monitor kinematic deformity and aid in clinical decision making.

  • Provides a quantitative analysis of surgical effects on the planovalgus foot.

Abstract

Pes planovalgus (flatfoot) is a common deformity among children with cerebral palsy. The Milwaukee Foot Model (MFM), a multi-segmental kinematic foot model, which uses radiography to align the underlying bony anatomy with reflective surface markers, was used to evaluate 20 pediatric participants (30 feet) with planovalgus secondary to cerebral palsy prior to surgery. Three-dimensional kinematics of the tibia, hindfoot, forefoot, and hallux segments are reported and compared to an age-matched control set of typically-developing children. Most results were consistent with known characteristics of the deformity and showed decreased plantar flexion of the forefoot relative to hindfoot, increased forefoot abduction, and decreased ranges of motion during push-off in the planovalgus group. Interestingly, while forefoot characteristics were uniformly distributed in a common direction in the transverse plane, there was marked variability of forefoot and hindfoot coronal plane and hindfoot transverse plane positioning. The key finding of these data was the radiographic indexing of the MFM was able to show flat feet in cerebral palsy do not always demonstrate more hindfoot eversion than the typically-developing hindfoot. The coronal plane kinematics of the hindfoot show cases planovalgus feet with the hindfoot in inversion, eversion, and neutral. Along with other metrics, the MFM can be a valuable tool for monitoring kinematic deformity, facilitating clinical decision making, and providing a quantitative analysis of surgical effects on the planovalgus foot.

Introduction

Foot deformity affects over 90% of children with cerebral palsy (CP), and is often explained by poor muscle control, spasticity, contracture, or lack of antagonist muscle activity [1]. Valgus hindfoot deformities are the most common type of foot deformity among children with CP and pes planovalgus is the most common foot deformity in individuals with diplegia or quadriplegia [2].

Pes planovalgus is characterized by an equinus deformity of the hindfoot, pronation of the mid- and forefoot, and shortening of the lateral column [3]. In typically developing children, the disorder is often flexible and the arch is reconstituted with dorsiflexion of the hallux or with voluntary plantarflexion. Flexible flatfoot is often asymptomatic or causes minor discomfort to the foot and lower extremity, and is treated conservatively with supportive footwear or orthotics [4]. However, the condition can be rigid, evidenced by a persistent flat arch even during non-weightbearing. These cases benefit from bracing or surgical intervention, which may consist of arthrodesis, calcaneal osteotomies with soft-tissue procedures, and subtalar arthroereisis [5].

Clinical management of planovalgus is typically informed by qualitative and quantitative examination techniques. Observation of gait is used to evaluate the foot morphology, progression angle, calcaneal alignment, heel-to-toe contact during gait, knee positioning, and the presence of antalgia [6]. Quantitative assessment includes pedobarography and passive ankle joint range of motion [7]. Standard quantitative gait models have been used to describe tibia-foot kinematics in the planovalgus population [8]. These models however, treat the foot as a single rigid segment and are not adequate for analyzing foot pathologies. Previous work has emphasized the need for measuring multi-segment foot motion to understand pathologic function [9].

Multisegmental foot models can provide a more detailed study of the planovalgus foot and involve measuring inter-segmental foot motion (e.g. hindfoot with respect to forefoot). Previous work with such models has been completed for adults [10] and children [11] with asymptomatic low arches, rheumatoid arthritis [12], children with planovalgus [13], and a mixed population of youth with planovalgus (CP, idiopathic planovalgus foot, peripheral neuropathy, and congenital foot deformity) [14]. These studies have contributed to understanding segmental foot motion, but have not included specific analyses of children with CP and planovalgus foot deformity, despite the common occurrence of planovalgus deformities in the CP population.

The Milwaukee Foot Model (MFM) [15] has been used to investigate multi-segmental foot kinematics during gait in many pathologies and has been evaluated and recommended for use with a pediatric population [16]. The model has recently been improved to remove the assumption of a vertical tibia during the static trial [17]. The MFM uses radiographic images to reference the positions of anatomical markers on the skin to the motion of the underlying bony anatomy. Prior studies have noted the importance of referencing methods when marker placement does not necessarily reflect the true orientation of the underlying bony anatomy [18]. This is particularly true in segments such as the calcaneus, where few mediolateral landmarks are available to facilitate repeatable instrumentation.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the relative motion of four segments of the foot and ankle (tibia, hindfoot, forefoot, and hallux) during gait in 20 children (30 feet) with rigid pes planovalgus secondary to CP using the MFM. The kinematics of the planovalgus population were compared to the kinematics of age-matched typically developing children.

Section snippets

Subjects

This study was a retrospective analysis of multisegmental foot motion analysis data. Data from twenty participants (10 female/10 male, age = 11.7 ± 2.7 yrs,) with rigid, symptomatic pes planovalgus (PV Group) as identified by the participant’s orthopaedic surgeon were included (10 unilateral and 10 bilateral, for a total of 30 feet, Table 1). Symptoms were described as pain over the medial midfoot with standing and walking activities, skin irritation, callusing, and/or breakdown over the medial

Temporal-Spatial parameters

Stance duration (PV = 65.1 ± 6.5% gait cycle, TD = 61.5 ± 1.6% gait cycle) was not statistically different between the two groups (p = 0.005). Walking speed (PV = 0.67 ± 0.24 m/s, TD = 1.08 ± 0.14 m/s), cadence (PV = 96.94 ± 23.52 steps/min, TD = 115.46 ± 13.80 steps/min), and stride length (PV = 0.81 ± 0.18 m, TD = 1.13 ± 0.14) were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the PV Group.

Kinematic parameters

The kinematics of each segment were compared to the TD Group in each of the three planes (Figs. 1, 2).

Discussion

While pes planovalgus is a common foot deformity in children with CP, little is known about its effect on the inter-segmental foot kinematics in this population. This study has revealed several significant differences between the pediatric PV Group and the TD Group. The key finding of these data was that the MFM was able to show that the PV hindfoot does not always show more eversion than the TD hindfoot. The coronal hindfoot alignment angles of the hindfoot measured on the Milwaukee view

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that it is feasible to apply the MFM to individuals with pes planovalgus resulting from CP. The radiographic indexing of the MFM allowed for improved representation of the underlying bony anatomy of the planovalgus foot. This indexing allowed for proper measurement of coronal plane excursion of the hindfoot. These results showed the PV hindfoot can be either inverted or everted relative to the tibia and radiographic measurement is necessary for accurate assessment.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Sergey Tarima for statistical consultation. The contents of this article were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90RE5006-01-00, formerly NIDRR H133E10007 and grant number 90AR5022-01-00 Formerly H133P140023-14). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this article do not

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