Females with hip-related pain demonstrate reduced kinetics at the hip and ankle during terminal stance of gait.

backgroundIndividuals with hip-related pain (HRP) commonly report pain with walking and demonstrate altered movement patterns compared to healthy controls (HCs). Individuals with HRP may attempt to reduce pain during walking by decreasing kinetics and joint forces at the hip through increased use of the ankle during pushoff. RESEARCH QUESTION: Do individuals with HRP have increased kinetics at the ankle and decreased kinetics at the hip during pushoff in gait compared to HCs, and do kinetic patterns differ between males and females with HRP?

methodsThis retrospective observational study included 42 individuals with HRP and 20 HCs. Participants completed overground gait trials at their self-selected speed while kinematics and kinetics were recorded through a motion capture system and force plates. Peak internal hip and ankle moments and hip flexion and ankle plantarflexion angular impulse during terminal stance were used in general estimating equations for comparison of group by limb interactions for males and females separately, as well as a comparison of males and females within the HRP group.

resultsFemales with HRP demonstrated reduced hip flexion impulse on their involved limb (.070 Nm*s/kg*m) compared to female HCs (.083Nm*s/kg*m; p = .032), as well as reduced peak ankle plantarflexion moment (-.94Nm/kg*m) compared to their contralateral limb (-.99Nm/kg*m) and the involved limb of HRP males (-1.00Nm/kg*m) (p ≤ .007). There were no between-limb or between-group differences in hip or ankle peak moments or impulses in males. SIGNIFICANCE: Females with HRP show decreased kinetics at both the hip and ankle; these patterns were not identified in males. Future investigations should examine whether increasing ankle kinetics during pushoff reduces pain at the hip, as this may be a valuable clinical treatment strategy.