Formation of Turkish norms in gait analysis

Abstract

In this study, a normative database of basic gait parameters, kinematics and kinetic patterns for 181 normal subjects with the ages of four, five, seven, eight, nine, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen and twenty is reported. Means, standard deviations and ranges were calculated for 15 parameters in basic gait parameters, 32 parameters in kinematics and 48 parameters in kinetics. These parameters were divided according to age and sex. It was found that there are differences between the outputs of this study (Turkish norms) and system's current normative data in kinematics and kinetic data concerning all three planes of movement, especially in transverse plane. Additionally, these two normative databases with two standard deviations were compared with each other in evaluating the kinematics data of hip, ankle and knee joints of thirty children of all five-year-old age (Twenty normal children and ten children with Cerebral Palsy). Sensitivity values, specificity values, positive predictive values and negative predictive values of the two databases were calculated for six hip movements, six knee movements and six ankle movements. According to the results obtained, it can be stated that system's current normative database is not a proper reference database for Turkish population. In addition, the results support the strong need for a proper and reliable reference data for Turkish population in gait analysis. These results also suggest that precise evaluation of a gait disorder needs to be done by comparing the patient with her/his own population. Turkish normative database can serve as a sensitive, specific and reliable reference data for Turkish population in gait analysis. Besides, this study will become a basis for many other gait analysis studies for Turkish population.|Keywords- Turkish norms, gait analysis, basic gait parameters, kinematics, kinetics.