Motion Analysis
Under the direction of Louis Draganich,
PhD, research in the Motion Analysis Laboratory is focused
on the following areas:
1) The biomechanics of gait in young and older adults when
stepping over an obstacle.
2) The effects of knee and hip osteoarthritis on gait,
stair stepping and obstacle avoidance.
3) The effects of total knee arthroplasty and total hip
arthroplasty on gait, stair stepping and obstacle avoidance.
4) The effects of orthoses and physical therapy on the
gait and stair stepping of patients with acquired flatfoot
deformity.
5) The effects of the self-adjustable valgus “unloader”
brace on gait, stair stepping, pain, stiffness and function.
Falling is the leading cause of death due
to injury in the elderly, and tripping on an obstacle is the
leading cause of falls. Osteoarthritis is a risk factor for
falls, and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the leading
causes of disability in the elderly. Total knee Arthroplasty (TKA)
is primarily used to treat KOA. TKA improves pain and function,
but does not return completely normal gait or stair stepping.
Dr. Draganich is investigating the
effects of walking speed on obstacle crossing in young and older
healthy adults, challenging the subjects to step over obstacles
more quickly than normal to learn about the effects of age on
obstacle crossing. A preliminary analysis demonstrated that
larger demands are placed on the hip and ankle abductors of the
trailing limb of older adults to maintain dynamic balance when
stepping over the obstacle with the leading limb. Dr. Draganich
has completed the construction of an apparatus to aid
investigating the effects of disease, drugs or interventions on
the ability of a person to step over an obstacle that is
suddenly recognized. He has completed preliminary studies
investigating the effects of painful KOA and TKA on the rates of
successful obstacle avoidance. KOA patients had a 37% lower
obstacle avoidance success rate and a 54% lower single leg
stance duration (i.e., balance) than did healthy age-matched
control subjects, suggesting that individuals with painful KOA
have an increased propensity to trip and fall. TKA patients with
excellent clinical results and no pain in their lower
extremities had a 47% lower obstacle avoidance success rate and
a 74% lower single leg stance duration than did the healthy
age-matched control subjects, suggesting that TKA patients with
excellent clinical results have an increased propensity to trip
and fall. Dr. Draganich is currently performing studies to
determine if the Knee Society or Hospital For Special Surgery
knee rating scores can be used to predict which TKA patients
have a higher propensity to avoid stepping on a suddenly
recognized obstacle. Approximately 10% of deaths from falls
occur on stairs. Thus, Dr. Draganich is also currently
investigating the effects of TKA on foot-step clearance during
stair stepping. In addition, he is studying the effects of
comorbidities in KOA, including quadriceps strength (reduced in
KOA), varus angulation (increased in people with medial
compartment KOA) and knee laxity (abnormal in KOA) on obstacle
avoidance success. Furthermore, Dr. Draganich is expanding his
studies of obstacle avoidance to include people with hip
osteoarthritis and total hip arthroplasty.
In collaboration, Dr. Draganich and
Dr. Bruce Reider are currently performing a study funded
by dj Orthopedics to investigate the effects of off-the-shelf
and custom valgus braces on gait, stair-climbing and pain in
sports-active patients with painful medial compartment
osteoarthritis.
In collaboration, Dr. Draganich and
Dr. Brian Toolan are currently performing a study to
investigate the effects of off-the-shelf orthoses and physical
therapy on the gait and stair stepping of patients with acquired
flatfoot deformity.
• Up • Publications • Clinical • Biomechanical • Molecular Orthopaedics • Motion Analysis •
Last update:
January 11, 2008
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