Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)

Limb salvage surgery (LSS) with megaprosthesis is a common treatment for distal femur tumors, but its impact on gait remains poorly understood. Traditional gait analysis methods are costly and require specialized equipment. This study aims to compare spatiotemporal gait parameters between patients w...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nadia Jover-Jorge, Paula González-Rojo, José Vicente Amaya-Valero, Francisco Baixauli-García, Carolina de la Calva-Ceinós, Manuel Angulo-Sánchez, Javier Martínez-Gramage, Juan Francisco Lisón
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Wearable Technologies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2631717625100091/type/journal_article
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850223276305940480
author Nadia Jover-Jorge
Paula González-Rojo
José Vicente Amaya-Valero
Francisco Baixauli-García
Carolina de la Calva-Ceinós
Manuel Angulo-Sánchez
Javier Martínez-Gramage
Juan Francisco Lisón
author_facet Nadia Jover-Jorge
Paula González-Rojo
José Vicente Amaya-Valero
Francisco Baixauli-García
Carolina de la Calva-Ceinós
Manuel Angulo-Sánchez
Javier Martínez-Gramage
Juan Francisco Lisón
author_sort Nadia Jover-Jorge
collection DOAJ
description Limb salvage surgery (LSS) with megaprosthesis is a common treatment for distal femur tumors, but its impact on gait remains poorly understood. Traditional gait analysis methods are costly and require specialized equipment. This study aims to compare spatiotemporal gait parameters between patients with distal femur megaprosthesis and healthy controls using an inertial measurement unit (IMU). We conducted a case–control study with 79 participants: 31 patients with distal femur megaprosthesis and 48 healthy controls. Gait data were collected using an IMU placed at L5-S1, capturing metrics such as gait quality index (GQI), pelvic kinematics, propulsion index, and gait speed. Statistical analysis included Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, and one-way ANOVA to compare gait parameters across groups. Patients with megaprosthesis exhibited significantly lower gait speed, propulsion index and anteroposterior acceleration symmetry index compared to controls (p < .05). GQI was reduced in the healthy legs of the cases (92.3%) compared to control legs (96.6%). Adaptations included prolonged stance phases in healthy legs and decreased single support phases in prosthetic legs. Despite these changes, gait patterns remained within functional ranges. IMU-based gait analysis reveals significant but functional alterations in gait mechanics among patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis. These findings underscore the need for tailored rehabilitation strategies to address compensatory mechanisms, optimize mobility, and enhance long-term outcomes. The use of IMU technology offers a cost-effective and portable alternative for clinical gait assessments.
format Article
id doaj-art-b469a3beba9343f8a0bc3f30efc4ebee
institution OA Journals
issn 2631-7176
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series Wearable Technologies
spelling doaj-art-b469a3beba9343f8a0bc3f30efc4ebee2025-08-20T02:06:01ZengCambridge University PressWearable Technologies2631-71762025-01-01610.1017/wtc.2025.10009Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)Nadia Jover-Jorge0Paula González-Rojo1José Vicente Amaya-Valero2Francisco Baixauli-García3Carolina de la Calva-Ceinós4Manuel Angulo-Sánchez5Javier Martínez-Gramage6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4042-3214Juan Francisco Lisón7Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, https://ror.org/01ar2v535Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la Fe, Valencia, SpainOrthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Research Group, https://ror.org/05n7v5997Instituto de Investigación sanitaria la Fe, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, https://ror.org/01ar2v535Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la Fe, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, https://ror.org/01ar2v535Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la Fe, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, https://ror.org/01ar2v535Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la Fe, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, https://ror.org/01ar2v535Hospital Universitario y Politécnico la Fe, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, https://ror.org/01tnh0829Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, https://ror.org/01tnh0829Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain Centre of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn), https://ror.org/00ca2c886Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, SpainLimb salvage surgery (LSS) with megaprosthesis is a common treatment for distal femur tumors, but its impact on gait remains poorly understood. Traditional gait analysis methods are costly and require specialized equipment. This study aims to compare spatiotemporal gait parameters between patients with distal femur megaprosthesis and healthy controls using an inertial measurement unit (IMU). We conducted a case–control study with 79 participants: 31 patients with distal femur megaprosthesis and 48 healthy controls. Gait data were collected using an IMU placed at L5-S1, capturing metrics such as gait quality index (GQI), pelvic kinematics, propulsion index, and gait speed. Statistical analysis included Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, and one-way ANOVA to compare gait parameters across groups. Patients with megaprosthesis exhibited significantly lower gait speed, propulsion index and anteroposterior acceleration symmetry index compared to controls (p < .05). GQI was reduced in the healthy legs of the cases (92.3%) compared to control legs (96.6%). Adaptations included prolonged stance phases in healthy legs and decreased single support phases in prosthetic legs. Despite these changes, gait patterns remained within functional ranges. IMU-based gait analysis reveals significant but functional alterations in gait mechanics among patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis. These findings underscore the need for tailored rehabilitation strategies to address compensatory mechanisms, optimize mobility, and enhance long-term outcomes. The use of IMU technology offers a cost-effective and portable alternative for clinical gait assessments.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2631717625100091/type/journal_articleMegaprosthesisLimb salvage surgeryGait analysisInertial measurement unit (IMU)Spatiotemporal gait parametersDistal femur tumour
spellingShingle Nadia Jover-Jorge
Paula González-Rojo
José Vicente Amaya-Valero
Francisco Baixauli-García
Carolina de la Calva-Ceinós
Manuel Angulo-Sánchez
Javier Martínez-Gramage
Juan Francisco Lisón
Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)
Wearable Technologies
Megaprosthesis
Limb salvage surgery
Gait analysis
Inertial measurement unit (IMU)
Spatiotemporal gait parameters
Distal femur tumour
title Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)
title_full Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)
title_fullStr Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)
title_full_unstemmed Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)
title_short Comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)
title_sort comparative analysis of spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with distal femoral megaprosthesis and healthy subjects using an inertial measurement unit imu
topic Megaprosthesis
Limb salvage surgery
Gait analysis
Inertial measurement unit (IMU)
Spatiotemporal gait parameters
Distal femur tumour
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2631717625100091/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT nadiajoverjorge comparativeanalysisofspatiotemporalgaitparametersinpatientswithdistalfemoralmegaprosthesisandhealthysubjectsusinganinertialmeasurementunitimu
AT paulagonzalezrojo comparativeanalysisofspatiotemporalgaitparametersinpatientswithdistalfemoralmegaprosthesisandhealthysubjectsusinganinertialmeasurementunitimu
AT josevicenteamayavalero comparativeanalysisofspatiotemporalgaitparametersinpatientswithdistalfemoralmegaprosthesisandhealthysubjectsusinganinertialmeasurementunitimu
AT franciscobaixauligarcia comparativeanalysisofspatiotemporalgaitparametersinpatientswithdistalfemoralmegaprosthesisandhealthysubjectsusinganinertialmeasurementunitimu
AT carolinadelacalvaceinos comparativeanalysisofspatiotemporalgaitparametersinpatientswithdistalfemoralmegaprosthesisandhealthysubjectsusinganinertialmeasurementunitimu
AT manuelangulosanchez comparativeanalysisofspatiotemporalgaitparametersinpatientswithdistalfemoralmegaprosthesisandhealthysubjectsusinganinertialmeasurementunitimu
AT javiermartinezgramage comparativeanalysisofspatiotemporalgaitparametersinpatientswithdistalfemoralmegaprosthesisandhealthysubjectsusinganinertialmeasurementunitimu
AT juanfranciscolison comparativeanalysisofspatiotemporalgaitparametersinpatientswithdistalfemoralmegaprosthesisandhealthysubjectsusinganinertialmeasurementunitimu