The mechanical power of right and left lower extremity joints during walking in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and healthy controls

although it is documented that the spine and hip alignments alter in scoliosis subjects, but the effect of these changes on the lower extremities’ biomechanics have not been well understood yet. So, the aim of this study was to compare hip, knee and ankle joint’s power generation and absorption during gait in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and healthy controls.  

Using motion analysis system with 4 Vicon-460 cameras and two Kistler force plates, the kinematics and kinetics of gait was assessed in twenty girls with AIS and 20 matched healthy controls, then the power of the right and left hip, knee and ankle joints in sagittal plane was calculated. Data was analyzed using ANOVA statistical method with significance level of α<0.05.

Results showed that in scoliosis group, the peak power absorption of the right knee was significantly 12.5% smaller than that in control group (p=0.01). But, peak power generation and absorption of the hip and ankle joints in both right and left limbs were not statistically differed between the two groups (p>0.05).

scoliosis is associated with the smaller power absorption of the knee joint at convex side. This might be linked with unilateral alterations of the jointschr('39') moment, joint forces, and the related muscle activity which might impose asymmetrical force to the hip and cause curve progression.