Beyond clinical scales: an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with Parkinson’s disease
IntroductionParkinson’s disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor functions, is associated with abnormal gait patterns characterized by altered kinematic, kinetic, and electrophysiological parameters. This observational study aims to instrumentally identify and quantify these...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1541240/full |
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| author | Paolo De Pasquale Mirjam Bonanno Cristiano De Marchis Luca Pergolizzi Antonino Lombardo Facciale Giuseppe Paladina Maria Grazia Maggio Federica Impellizzeri Irene Ciancarelli Angelo Quartarone Angelo Quartarone Rocco Salvatore Calabrò |
| author_facet | Paolo De Pasquale Mirjam Bonanno Cristiano De Marchis Luca Pergolizzi Antonino Lombardo Facciale Giuseppe Paladina Maria Grazia Maggio Federica Impellizzeri Irene Ciancarelli Angelo Quartarone Angelo Quartarone Rocco Salvatore Calabrò |
| author_sort | Paolo De Pasquale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionParkinson’s disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor functions, is associated with abnormal gait patterns characterized by altered kinematic, kinetic, and electrophysiological parameters. This observational study aims to instrumentally identify and quantify these gait dysfunctions in PD patients compared to normal values from healthy subjects.MethodsSixty-nine PD patients underwent clinical and instrumental evaluations to assess gait. Demographic and clinical data were collected before motor assessment. Clinical scales evaluated the level of impairment, gait, balance, risk of falls and ability to complete activities of daily living. Instrumental evaluations were conducted using optoelectronic, force plates and electromyographic (EMG) systems in a motion analysis laboratory. Statistical analysis involved a non-parametric test to compare pathological and normal data, clustering methods to identify groups based on clinical evaluations, and a combination of non-parametric analysis and linear models to assess dependencies on clinical scales.ResultsThe results showed that PD patients had significant gait kinematic differences compared to normal values, with increased temporal and shortened spatial parameters. In addition, PD patients were grouped into four clusters based on clinical scales. While some gait features were influenced by clinical scales reflecting impairment, gait and balance, and independence, others were more affected by the perceived fear of falling (FoF).DiscussionIn conclusion, the study identified specific biomechanical gait dysfunctions in kinematic, kinetic, and electrophysiological parameters in PD patients, undetectable by standard clinical scales. Additionally, higher FoF was associated with dysfunctional biomechanical patterns, independent of impairment severity, gait and balance dysfunction, or overall independence. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e992444d9e024224a1f957c45c99406e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-4185 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj-art-e992444d9e024224a1f957c45c99406e2025-08-20T03:53:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology2296-41852025-04-011310.3389/fbioe.2025.15412401541240Beyond clinical scales: an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with Parkinson’s diseasePaolo De Pasquale0Mirjam Bonanno1Cristiano De Marchis2Luca Pergolizzi3Antonino Lombardo Facciale4Giuseppe Paladina5Maria Grazia Maggio6Federica Impellizzeri7Irene Ciancarelli8Angelo Quartarone9Angelo Quartarone10Rocco Salvatore Calabrò11IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyDepartment of Engineering, University of Messina, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L’Aquila, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, ItalyIntroductionParkinson’s disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor functions, is associated with abnormal gait patterns characterized by altered kinematic, kinetic, and electrophysiological parameters. This observational study aims to instrumentally identify and quantify these gait dysfunctions in PD patients compared to normal values from healthy subjects.MethodsSixty-nine PD patients underwent clinical and instrumental evaluations to assess gait. Demographic and clinical data were collected before motor assessment. Clinical scales evaluated the level of impairment, gait, balance, risk of falls and ability to complete activities of daily living. Instrumental evaluations were conducted using optoelectronic, force plates and electromyographic (EMG) systems in a motion analysis laboratory. Statistical analysis involved a non-parametric test to compare pathological and normal data, clustering methods to identify groups based on clinical evaluations, and a combination of non-parametric analysis and linear models to assess dependencies on clinical scales.ResultsThe results showed that PD patients had significant gait kinematic differences compared to normal values, with increased temporal and shortened spatial parameters. In addition, PD patients were grouped into four clusters based on clinical scales. While some gait features were influenced by clinical scales reflecting impairment, gait and balance, and independence, others were more affected by the perceived fear of falling (FoF).DiscussionIn conclusion, the study identified specific biomechanical gait dysfunctions in kinematic, kinetic, and electrophysiological parameters in PD patients, undetectable by standard clinical scales. Additionally, higher FoF was associated with dysfunctional biomechanical patterns, independent of impairment severity, gait and balance dysfunction, or overall independence.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1541240/fullgait analysisbiomechanics of gaitoptoelectronic motion capture systemParkinson’s diseasefear of fallingneurorehabilitation gait analysis |
| spellingShingle | Paolo De Pasquale Mirjam Bonanno Cristiano De Marchis Luca Pergolizzi Antonino Lombardo Facciale Giuseppe Paladina Maria Grazia Maggio Federica Impellizzeri Irene Ciancarelli Angelo Quartarone Angelo Quartarone Rocco Salvatore Calabrò Beyond clinical scales: an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with Parkinson’s disease Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology gait analysis biomechanics of gait optoelectronic motion capture system Parkinson’s disease fear of falling neurorehabilitation gait analysis |
| title | Beyond clinical scales: an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with Parkinson’s disease |
| title_full | Beyond clinical scales: an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with Parkinson’s disease |
| title_fullStr | Beyond clinical scales: an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with Parkinson’s disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beyond clinical scales: an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with Parkinson’s disease |
| title_short | Beyond clinical scales: an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with Parkinson’s disease |
| title_sort | beyond clinical scales an observational study on instrumental gait analysis and biomechanical patterns in patients with parkinson s disease |
| topic | gait analysis biomechanics of gait optoelectronic motion capture system Parkinson’s disease fear of falling neurorehabilitation gait analysis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1541240/full |
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