Wurdeman Shane R, Huisinga Jessie M, Filipi Mary, Stergiou Nicholas
Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility, University of Nebraska at Omaha, NE, USA.
Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2011 Feb;26(2):207-12. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2010.09.021. Epub 2010 Oct 29.
Multiple sclerosis is a progressive neurological disease that results in a high incident of gait disturbance. Exploring the frequency content of the ground reaction forces generated during walking may provide additional insights to gait in patients with multiple sclerosis that could lead to specific tools for differential diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the frequency content of these forces in an effort to contribute to improved clinical management of this disease.
Eighteen patients and eighteen healthy controls walked across a 10 meter long walkway. The anterior-posterior and vertical ground reaction forces generated during the stance phase of gait were evaluated in the frequency domain using fast Fourier transformation. T-tests were utilized for comparison of median frequency, the 99.5% frequency, and the frequency bandwidth between patients and healthy controls and also for comparisons between patients with mild and moderate severity.
Patients with multiple sclerosis had significantly lower 99.5% frequency (P=0.006) and median frequency (P<0.001) in the vertical ground reaction force. No differences were found in the anterior-posterior reaction force frequency content. There were no differences between patients with mild and moderate severity.
The lower frequency content suggests lesser vertical oscillation of the center of gravity. Lack of differences between severities may suggest presence of differences prior to currently established diagnosis timelines. Analysis of the frequency content may potentially serve to provide earlier diagnostic assessment of this debilitating disease.
多发性硬化症是一种进行性神经疾病，会导致步态障碍的高发病率。探索行走过程中产生的地面反作用力的频率成分，可能会为多发性硬化症患者的步态提供更多见解，从而带来用于鉴别诊断的特定工具。本研究的目的是调查这些力的频率成分差异，以促进该疾病临床管理的改善。
18名患者和18名健康对照者走过一条10米长的通道。使用快速傅里叶变换在频域中评估步态站立期产生的前后和垂直地面反作用力。采用t检验比较患者与健康对照者之间的中位数频率、99.5%频率和频率带宽，以及轻度和中度严重程度患者之间的差异。
多发性硬化症患者垂直地面反作用力的99.5%频率（P = 0.006）和中位数频率（P < 0.001）显著较低。前后反作用力频率成分未发现差异。轻度和中度严重程度患者之间没有差异。
较低的频率成分表明重心的垂直振荡较小。严重程度之间缺乏差异可能表明在当前既定诊断时间线之前就存在差异。对频率成分的分析可能有助于对这种使人衰弱的疾病进行早期诊断评估。
