Differences in gait pattern parameters between medial and anterior knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee

Background: Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee have unique spatiotemporal gait alterations. These gait changes have not yet been differentiated according to the location of knee pain. The purpose of this study was to compare the gait patterns of patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis that exhibit either anterior or medial joint pain. Methods: 240 Patients with knee osteoarthritis were evaluated at one therapy center. Patients were divided into two groups according to the location of greatest pain in their worse knee. Patients underwent a computerized spatiotemporal gait analysis. Differences in gait patterns between the two knee pain locations were also examined within each gender. Findings: Compared with patients with pain in the anterior knee compartment, those with pain in the medial knee compartment exhibited a significantly slower walking speed (P < 0.01), shorter step length (P < 0.01), lower single-limb-support phase (P < 0.01). These differences are witnessed mainly between the females in each group, whereas males differed only in single-limb-support. Interpretation: The results of this study suggested underlying gait differences in the nature of medial and anterior knee pain. Furthermore, gender differences in gait may exist between patients with medial knee pain compared to patients with anterior knee pain.