Crouched gait in myelomeningocele: a comparison between the degree of knee flexion contracture in the clinical examination and during gait

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate, in patients with low lumbar and sacral level myelomeningocele who have knee flexion contractures, whether there are significant differences between the degree of knee flexion contracture measured clinically and the degree of actual knee flexion during gait, measured by computerized gait analysis. Patients were divided into two groups, those who walked with ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) alone and those who walked with AFOs and crutches. In both groups, the patient's knee flexion contractures were measured clinically, and the degree of knee flexion was measured dynamically at two representative points in the gait cycle. In both groups and at both points of the gait cycle, the degree of knee flexion during gait was significantly greater than the degree of clinical knee flexion contracture. This should be taken into account when evaluating the crouch gait of children with myelomeningocele and planning the proper treatment.