Deviations in gait metrics in patients with chronic ankle instability

Purpose: Gait metric alterations have been reported in patients suffering from chronic ankle instability (CAI). Those studies comprised relatively small cohorts and their findings were inconsistent. This study was undertaken to examine spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with CAI and examine the relationship between self-reported disease severity and the magnitude of gait abnormalities. Methods: Medical files of all patients diagnosed as having CAI and referred to a private treatment center between May 2009 and February 2012 were retrieved from the center’s database and evaluated. Inclusion criteria were the reporting of recurrent ankle sprains, instability, and a tendency of the ankle to “give way” during sports activities for the past ≥6 months. Age and gender-matched healthy people served as controls. All participants underwent a spatiotemporal gait analysis on a computerized mat and completed the Short Form (SF)-36 health survey. Results: Of the 95 eligible patients, 44 fulfilled study entry criteria and were compared to 53 controls. The CAI patients’ walking velocity was ∼16% slower, their cadence was ∼9% lower, and their step length was ∼7% shorter than the controls. Their base of support during walking was ∼43% wider and their single limb support was ∼12% shorter than the controls. Their SF-36 Pain and Physical Function subscales were significantly lower compared to controls (P < 0.05). Conclusions: These results form a gait profile for patients with CAI. Significant differences with controls were found in most tested spatiotemporal gait parameters, most importantly in the base of support. These gait alterations may reflect strategies for coping with imbalance and pain. Measurements of gait parameters in combination with self-evaluation questionnaires are highly useful for assessing disease severity and for follow-up of individuals diagnosed as having CAI.