Dynamic and static footprints: comparative calculations for angle and base of gait

Information derived from footprint data serves as a useful, reliable and objective component to the assessment of patients with musculoskeletal pathology. Common spatial parameters extrapolated from such data include the angle and base of gait. Previous research has described a reliable method for analysing dynamic footprint data. While this data remains fundamental, few studies, if any have documented the comparisons of dynamic and static footprints. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the differences between the angle and base of gait from dynamic and static footprint data. Twenty-five subjects provided three dynamic (mid-gait analysis) and three static footprints. Intra-rater reliability of the measurement technique for both the angle and base of gait was found to be excellent (p > 0.001) for each of the two conditions (dynamic and static). Comparisons between the dynamic and static condition revealed no significant differences (p < 0.0001) for the angle of gait, whilst significant differences were noted between the static and dynamic condition for the base of gait. Further analysis using linear regression identified that the angle of gait for the left and right foot predicted a 67 and 60% of that of a dynamic situation; a slightly lower prediction of 54% was noted for base of gait. These results suggest that static footprints do demonstrate some prediction of dynamic function when assessing the angle and base of gait in normal subjects.