Utilization and efficacy of computational gait analysis for hamstring lengthening surgery

- Plans did not agree with gait reccomendations in 59% of cases.
- Gait analysis changed initial plans in 79% of these cases.
- Gait analysis changed initial plans in 54% of all cases.
- Less procedures were perfomed when following gait reccomendations.
- Following reccomendations increased likelihood of positive outcome.

A retrospective analysis of computational gait studies performed in a single lab over a 12 year period was undertaken to characterize how recommendations to perform or not to perform hamstring lengthenings were utilized by physicians and the effect on outcomes. 131 Subjects were identified as either having hamstring lengthening considered by the referring surgeon, recommended by gait analysis data, or performed. A subset of this data meeting inclusion criteria for pre- and post-surgical timeframes, and bilateral diagnosis was further analyzed to assess the efficacy of the recommendations. There was initial agreement between planned procedures and recommended procedures in just 41% of the cases. Including the cases where there was agreement, gait analysis altered the initial procedure in 54%. In the cases where the initial plan was not supported by gait data, surgeons followed gait recommendations in 77%. In subjects who underwent hamstring lengthening, when surgeons followed or agreed with gait recommendations, patients were 3.6 times more likely to experience a positive outcome.