Analysis of Stability Asymmetries and of Gait Cycle Used to Determine the Recovery Degree for Subjects with Traumatic Locomotion Disorder

Abstract

Traumas of locomotion system, even recovered at a great extent may change subjects’ posture and stability along time by determining an emphasis of balance or forces developed at the foot-ground contact level. In this paper we present the analysis of a subject’s case study, after a trauma in the heel area, which recovered by surgery and physical and kinetic therapy, but whose normal and/or added steps gait was changed due to the prolonged recovery time. The analysis method is based upon the information gathered from the Footscan plate sensors at the contact moment between the locomotion system (sole) and the ground. In the first part of the paper, the fundamental aspect related to the measuring of contact pressure between the human body and the ground in dynamic regime are presented, also the influence of the trunk and head posture upon this type of locomotion action. In the second part, the experimental system and the experimental development are presented, while in the final part we show the results and conclusions of this experimental research on specific case studies.