Reliability of diabetic patients’ gait parameters in a challenging environment

Activities of daily life require us to move about in challenging environments and to walk on varied surfaces. Irregular terrain has been shown to influence gait parameters, especially in a population at risk for falling. A precise portable measurement system would permit objective gait analysis under such conditions. The aims of this study are to (a) investigate the reliability of gait parameters measured with the Physilog® in diabetic patients walking on different surfaces (tar, grass, and stones); (b) identify the measurement error (precision); (c) identify the minimal clinical detectable change. Methods: 16 patients with Type 2 diabetes were measured twice within 8 days. After clinical examination patients walked, equipped with a Physilog®, on the three aforementioned surfaces. Results: ICC for each surface was excellent for within-visit analyses (>0.938). Inter-visit ICC's (0.753) were excellent except for the knee range parameter (>0.503). The coefficient of variation (CV) was lower than 5% for most of the parameters. Bland and Altman Plots, SEM and SDC showed precise values, distributed around zero for all surfaces. Discussion: Good reliability of Physilog® measurements on different surfaces suggests that Physilog® could facilitate the study of diabetic patients’ gait in conditions close to real-life situations. Gait parameters during complex locomotor activities (e.g. stair-climbing, curbs, slopes) have not yet been extensively investigated. Conclusion: Good reliability, small measurement error and values of minimal clinical detectable change recommend the utilization of Physilog® for the evaluation of gait parameters in diabetic patients.