Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$fields is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/fields.php on line 136

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$locations is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/locations.php on line 130

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$cache is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/cache.php on line 281

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$deprecated is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/deprecated.php on line 228

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$json is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/json.php on line 185

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$local is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/local.php on line 884

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_loop::$loops is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/loop.php on line 26

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$loop is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/loop.php on line 270

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$revisions is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/revisions.php on line 413

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_validation::$errors is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/validation.php on line 26

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$validation is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/validation.php on line 212

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_form_customizer::$preview_values is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/forms/form-customizer.php on line 26

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_form_customizer::$preview_fields is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/forms/form-customizer.php on line 27

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_form_customizer::$preview_errors is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/forms/form-customizer.php on line 28

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ACF::$form_front is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/forms/form-front.php on line 664

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_form_widget::$preview_values is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/forms/form-widget.php on line 34

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_form_widget::$preview_reference is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/forms/form-widget.php on line 35

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_form_widget::$preview_errors is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/forms/form-widget.php on line 36

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_field_oembed::$width is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/fields/class-acf-field-oembed.php on line 31

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_field_oembed::$height is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/fields/class-acf-field-oembed.php on line 32

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_field_google_map::$default_values is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/fields/class-acf-field-google-map.php on line 33

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_field__group::$have_rows is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/includes/fields/class-acf-field-group.php on line 31

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_field_clone::$cloning is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/pro/fields/class-acf-field-clone.php on line 34

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property acf_field_clone::$have_rows is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/pro/fields/class-acf-field-clone.php on line 35

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property JSON_API::$query is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/json-api/singletons/api.php on line 6

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property JSON_API::$introspector is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/json-api/singletons/api.php on line 7

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property JSON_API::$response is deprecated in /nas/content/live/csfflowdev/wp-content/plugins/json-api/singletons/api.php on line 8
Effects of Surgical Decompression on Ankle Stiffness During Gait: Biomechanical Differences within a Cohort of Chiari Patients – CSF Flow

Effects of Surgical Decompression on Ankle Stiffness During Gait: Biomechanical Differences within a Cohort of Chiari Patients

Background

Symptoms commonly associated with Chiari 1 include headache, clumsiness, grip weakness, instability of gait, dizziness, paresthesiae and numbness. Furthermore, cervical myelopathy is associated with muscular fatigue that can affect activities of daily living.

Methods

This study examined the gait of 15 female subjects (eight who had previously undergone surgical decompression) in accordance with an IRB-approved protocol. The average age was 44.3 ±9.9yrs, height 1.6 ±0.06m and weight 78.3 ±24.2kg. Subjects were evaluated in a standard gait lab settting, using a ten camera Vicon system and two AMTI forceplates. Subjects walked at a selfselected speed. Data for three trials were recorded and processed using the Vicon software for performing inverse dynamics analyses. The focus of the gait evaluation was on the plantarflexor moment at the ankle joint during the push-off phase of gait.

Results

Chiari patients who had undergone decompression surgery had significantly higher values for both the magnitude of the maximum ankle moment (119 vs 97 Nm, p=0.01) and plantarflexor muscle stiffness (273.7 vs 233 Nm/rad, p< 0.05).

Discussion and Conclusions

The key conclusion from this gait study on a limited cohort of Chiari 1 patients is that decompression surgery is associated with higher ankle joint moments and plantarflexor muscle stiffness during steady overground locomotion. This could be related to recovery from symptoms related to syringomyelia or other pathologies affecting muscle tone. Further research needs to be conducted to examine whether similar findings occur at more proximal joints and whether these biomechanical measurements relate to qualitative improvements in the gait of Chiari patients following decompression surgery.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge generous funding from the Conquer Chiari Foundation.