The purpose of our study was to investigate gait dynamics and kinematics in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and to correlate these features with the predominant clinical features and with the presence of the freezing of gait (FOG). We measured the temporospatial and kinematic parameters of gait in 30 patients with PD (M:F=12:18, age=68.43±7.54) using a computerized video motion analysis system.
We divided the subjects into subgroups: (1) tremor-dominant (TD) group and postural instability and gait disturbance (PIGD) group and (2) FOG group and non-FOG group. We compared the gait parameters between the subgroups.
The walking velocity and stride length were reduced significantly in the PIGD group compared to the TD group. The PIGD group showed a significantly reduced range of motion in the pelvic and lower extremity joints by kinematics. Stride time variability was significantly increased and the pelvic oblique range was significantly reduced in the freezing gait disorder group.
Our findings suggest that there are differences in the perturbation of the basal ganglia-cortical circuits based on major clinical features. The reduction of the pelvic oblique range of motion may be a compensatory mechanism for postural instability and contributes to stride time variability in patients with FOG.
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