Research Article

Gait Differences between Adults with and without Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Abstract

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a musculoskeletal disorder commonly associated with altered gait patterns, but little information exists on comparative specific spatiotemporal gait parameters in individuals with LBP. This gap is addressed in the present study by comparing the mean values of stride length, step length, and stride time, as well as corresponding measures of hip extension and peak knee flexion angle, using Kinovea software.
Material and Methods: This observational study was done on 200 subjects, 100 healthy (group I) and 100 LBP individuals (group II). The inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to select the study subjects. All participants underwent a gait analysis using Kinovea software, and gait parameters, including stride length, step time, and hip extension, were also measured. Statistical associations with gait parameters and the presence of LBP were analyzed.
Results: Subjects with low back pain showed significant gait alteration with decreased stride length (mean difference (MD) 32.93 cm, p=0.001), decreased step length (18.52 cm, p=0.001), and reduced hip extension (1.88°, p=0.001) with weak to moderate correlation (r=0.214-0.282). These gait impairments were independent of the body composition.
Conclusions: The research results in the identification of significant changes in the gait patterns of patients with and without low back pain, as revealed by Kinovea software, characterized by low step length, high temporal duration, and low magnitude of hip extension. These results provide quantitatively measurable differences in gait dynamics due to inter-individual differences that are observed clinically.

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IssueArticles in Press QRcode
SectionResearch Article(s)
Keywords
Biomechanics; Gait analysis; Hip joint; Low back pain; Range of motion; Video recording
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How to Cite
1.
Duraimurugan J, Subramanian SS, Sahal M, Vianni DD, Singarayar EK, Alhalaiqa F. Gait Differences between Adults with and without Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study. jmr. 2025;(-).