Copyright
©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Reference values of gait parameters in healthy Chinese university students: A cross-sectional observational study
Jin-Sheng Yu, Chen Zhuang, Wen-Xuan Guo, Jun-Jie Chen, Xiang-Ke Wu, Wei Xie, Xing Zhou, Hui Su, Yi-Xuan Chen, Li-Kang Wang, Wen-Kai Li, Kun Tian, Ru-Jie Zhuang
Jin-Sheng Yu, Xiang-Ke Wu, Wei Xie, Xing Zhou, Hui Su, Yi-Xuan Chen, Li-Kang Wang, Wen-Kai Li, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China
Jin-Sheng Yu, Wen-Xuan Guo, Xing Zhou, Hui Su, Yi-Xuan Chen, Li-Kang Wang, Wen-Kai Li, Kun Tian, Ru-Jie Zhuang, Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
Chen Zhuang, Alberta Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, Zhejiang Province, China
Jun-Jie Chen, Department of Orthopedics, Shaoxing TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Shaoxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shaoxing 312099, Zhejiang Province, China
Xiang-Ke Wu, Wei Xie, Ru-Jie Zhuang, Department of Orthopedics, Quzhou TCM Hospital at the Junction of Four Provinces Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Quzhou 324002, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Zhuang RJ and Tian K are guarantors and designed this study; Zhuang C, Guo WX, and Yu JS were involved in data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation; Zhuang C and Yu JS drafted the initial manuscript; Chen JJ, Wu XK, Xie W, Zhou X, Su Hui, Chen YX, Wang LK, Li WK revised the article critically for important intellectual content.
Supported by Major Project of the Co-construction Science and Technology Program between the Science and Technology Department of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Zhejiang Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. GZY-ZJ-KJ-23040; Zhejiang Medical and Health Science and Technology Project, No. 2022497035; Quzhou City Science and Technology Project, No. 2022K75; Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Scientific Research Fund Project, No. 2021FSYYZZ09, No. 2021FSYYZZ14.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine) Institutional Review Board [Approval No. 2023-K-162-01].
Informed consent statement: All study participants provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflict of interest in regards to this work.
Data sharing statement: Data can be obtained from the corresponding author upon request.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement—checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement—checklist of items.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See:
https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Corresponding author: Ru-Jie Zhuang, MD, Chief Doctor, Professor, Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 54 Youdian Street, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China. rujiezhuang@163.com
Received: July 20, 2023
Peer-review started: July 20, 2023
First decision: August 30, 2023
Revised: September 4, 2023
Accepted: September 18, 2023
Article in press: September 18, 2023
Published online: October 16, 2023
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background
Gait refers to the movement patterns and rhythms of various body parts during walking, making it a crucial indicator of human movement and overall health. Currently, there is a relatively limited studies on the gait characteristics of Chinese male and female populations. To address this gap and provide more precise reference values for the region, we aimed to collect gait data from healthy Chinese university students and conduct a comprehensive analysis of sex-based differences.
Research motivation
Through this study, we aimed to reveal the commonalities and disparities in gait between Chinese men and women, thereby providing a more accurate foundation and reference for future clinical diagnosis and treatment. This research could have a positive impact on improving diagnosis and rehabilitation measures for relevant conditions, as well as optimizing sports training and exercise rehabilitation programs.
Research objectives
We collected gait data from healthy university students in China and conducted a detailed analysis of their gait characteristics, including stride length, step frequency, and gait cycle. Through this study, we will gain a deeper understanding of sex-based differences in the gait characteristics of male and female individuals in China, providing valuable data and guidance for medical and rehabilitation practices in this region. Additionally, these findings have the potential to optimize sports training and exercise rehabilitation programs, and promote overall health and physical performance.
Research methods
A total of 171 volunteers participated in this study, with an average age of 24.63 ± 2.19 years. Baseline data of the participants were collected, including gender, age, height, weight, body mass index, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, Lysholm knee score, and Harris hip score. Gait data were captured using the Qualisys three-dimensional motion capture system. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0 and MATLAB (R2020b, The MathWorks Inc).
Research results
In this study, significant differences were observed between males and females in the range of motion of the knee joint in the sagittal plane, while smaller differences were observed in the range of motion of the hip joint. No significant differences were observed in the range of motion of the ankle joint between males and females, suggesting the existence of potentially distinct gait patterns for each sex. This study provides more accurate evidence for future clinical diagnosis and treatment.
In future studies, we will increase the sample size and collect gait data from the same participants in different age groups to study changes in gait across various age ranges.
Research conclusions
This study utilized statistical parameter mapping to analyze the gait characteristics of males and females throughout the gait cycle, providing motion parameters for the hip, knee, and ankle joints. These findings highlighted the importance of considering sex-based differences in gait biomechanics in future studies.
Research perspectives
When guiding treatment plans, healthcare providers should be vigilant of the varying expectations of different sexes and racial or ethnic groups. Considering these expectations is crucial to enhance patient compliance and improve treatment outcomes.
