Gait analysis is relevant to a broad range of clinical applications in areas of orthopedics, neurosurgery, rehabilitation and the sports medicine. There are various methods available for capturing and analyzing the gait cycle. Most of gait analysis methods are computationally expensive and difficult to implement outside the laboratory environment. Inertial measurement units, IMUs are considered a promising alternative for the future of gait analysis. This study reports the results of a systematic validation procedure to validate the foot pitch angle measurement captured by an IMU against Vicon Optical Motion Capture System, considered the standard method of gait analysis. It represents the first phase of a research project which aims to objectively evaluate the ankle function and gait patterns of patients with dorsiflexion weakness (commonly called a “drop foot”) due to a L5 lumbar radiculopathy pre- and post-lumbar decompression surgery. The foot pitch angle of 381 gait cycles from 19 subjects walking trails on a flat surface have been recorded throughout the course of this study. Comparison of results indicates a mean correlation of 99.542% with a standard deviation of 0.834%. The maximum root mean square error of the foot pitch angle measured by the IMU compared with the Vicon Optical Motion Capture System was 3.738° and the maximum error in the same walking trail between two measurements was 9.927°. These results indicate the level of correlation between the two systems.
Ankle ; Decompression ; Foot* ; Gait ; Humans ; Methods ; Neurosurgery ; Orthopedics ; Radiculopathy ; Rehabilitation ; Sports Medicine ; Walking

Golf is a popular sport involving overhead activity and engagement of the rotator cuff (RC). This study aimed to determine to what level golfers were able to return to golf following RC repair, the barriers to them returning to golf and factors associated with their failure to return to golf. Methods: Patients preoperatively identifying as golfers undergoing RC repair at the study centre from 2012 to 2020 were retrospectively followed up with to assess their golf-playing status, performance and frequency of play and functional and quality of life (QoL) outcomes. Results: Forty-seven golfers (40 men [85.1%] and 7 women [14.9%]) with a mean age of 56.8 years met the inclusion criteria, and 80.1% were followed up with at a mean of 27.1 months postoperatively. Twenty-nine patients (76.3%) had returned to golf with a mean handicap change of +1.0 (P=0.291). Golf frequency decreased from a mean of 1.8 rounds per week preinjury to 1.5 rounds per week postoperatively (P=0.052). The EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L) index and visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) score were significantly greater in those returning to golf (P=0.024 and P=0.002), although functional outcome measures were not significantly different. The primary barriers to return were ipsilateral shoulder dysfunction (78%) and loss of the habit of play (22%). Conclusions: Golfers were likely (76%) to return to golf following RC repair, including mostly to their premorbid performance level with little residual symptomatology. Return to golf was associated with a greater QoL. Persistent subjective shoulder dysfunction (78%) was the most common barrier to returning to golf. Level of evidence: Level IV.