Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults

The overall goal of this procedure is to evaluate spatial and temporal gait parameters of patients and healthy, older adults with a photoelectric system in a straightforward and a objective manner. This is accomplished by first acquiring a floor based photo electric system along with a video camera and computer. The second step is to define the corridor for the test with the photo electric systems and align the camera.

Next, install the software and prepare it for use with the test. The final step is to have the patient perform several walking trials. Ultimately, spatiotemporal gait analysis is used to show differences between left and right side for different gait parameters.

The main advantage of this technique over existing methods like force plate or 3D motion analysis is that it does not require patient preparation. It is easy to operate, it has good accessibility, and the sensors are durable and they do not require calibration. Demonstrating the procedure will be Yulia eam, a research assistant from our laboratory.

The first step is to construct the testing system in a room that can accommodate a straight 15 meter walk. The Opto Gate system used in this video is composed of one meter long bars that can be connected to create varying length tracks along a floor. Each bar has 96 diodes along its length that are either light transmitting or light receiving.

Use a 10 meter set of light transmitting bars to form the right boundary of a straight path with all the diodes facing where the patient will walk. Make sure there are about two meters before and after each end. Place the bar with a silver drum containing power and data ports at the start of the path.

All other bars are interchangeable at every juncture between bars. Have one of the supplied caps ready. Align the bars and insert a cap to connect the sections.

After completing the right boundary, get a 10 meter set of light receiving bars to create the left boundary. Place these parallel to the first boundary at a distance of one meter and orient them with their diodes pointing toward where the patient will walk when the path is complete. Use tape to mark the two meter distance before and after the beginning and end of the track.

At this point, attach the power supplies to each of the tracks. The system uses a laptop for data collection and a camera for creating a visual record. Connect the camera to the laptop with a USB cable at the first transmitting bar.

Use the switch to turn on transmitting photoelectric devices along the track. Continue to the receiver bar and turn on the receiver photo. Electric devices.

Check that the green lights come on before proceeding. Check that all of the control LEDs on the receiver bars are green. The testing depends upon the Opto Gate software, which should be loaded onto the computer when using it for the first time.

Create a new test by selecting test. Then click on define modify tests. Next, click on gait test.

Select duplicate test. Confirm the duplication of the test in the popup window. Now double click on the duplicated test to modify the name.

In this case gate test 10 bars is used. Select 10 for the number of bars. Use the default settings for the gait test.

Finally, save all modifications. Next, add a new patient to the database by selecting patients. Click on insert, modify patient.

Then click on new patient to enter the data. When done, save the data for the test. Position the patient, so he will start the walk two meters.

Before entering the track at the first photo electric bar, have the patient wear flat sold shoes. Instruct the patient to start each walk on the same foot and to look straight ahead and have him complete three familiarization walks at a comfortable pace. The walks end at a marked 0.2 meters beyond the end of the photo electric bars.

After the familiarization trials, prepare the software for recording data. Click on test and then execute. Click on select and choose the patient.

Confirm the selection. Place the camera so that it can record the entire walk. Choose the test by clicking on select and then the appropriate test.Here.

Gait test 10 bars. Be certain that only this test is selected. Click on Execute again so that the software will collect data and the camera automatically starts recording.

As soon as the patient enters the region covered by the bars, ask the patient to follow the instructions he has been given and start when ready. Once the patient is between the bars, the software will ask for the starting foot. Make the appropriate choice so that gait parameters will be calculated correctly.

Observe the walk and wait for its completion. Once the normal pace walk is completed, save the data. Instruct the patient to perform three familiarization trials at fast velocity.

To prepare the computer to collect additional data, click on execute. Once again, position the patient at the start of the walk. Then have the patient walk at a faster than normal pace, keeping everything else the same.

Input the starting foot when prompted by the software and save the data after the walk. After taking measurements for a patient at two speeds, the data can be analyzed. Start by clicking on results.

To display the completed trials, click on the arrow next to the test of interest to transfer it from the test list to the test analysis section. Then click on view to display the selected test, click on view to display a gate report. Click on print to format the report for printing.

This report shows the results of a walking trial conducted at a normal pace, data for step and stride lengths, gait parameters, time parameters, and speed parameters are presented where appropriate information for both left and right steps is presented, as well as a measure of left right asymmetry. Once the equipment is installed, the test and the comprehensive report can be done in less than 10 minutes. After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to perform a valid and quantitative spatial temporal gait analysis and how to generate a report to detect eventual gait disorders.