This study, carried on as part of the MD-PAEDIGREE project, presents an innovative application for kinematic ankle models, used here to understand possible disease-specific gait patterns in children affected by Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.
The proposed methodology is based on the identification of the tibiotalar and subtalar axes from medical images through morphological fitting of the articular surfaces of the talus. Axes measurements proved to be repeatable and in line with ex-vivo data. Kinematic results confirmed the absence of a disease-specific gait pattern in the ankle, as suggested by the heterogeneity of the children’s clinical profile, including various diseases sub-types and manifestations.
Montefiori, E., Modenese, L., Di Marco, R., Magni-Manzoni, S., Malattia, C., Petrarca, M., Ronchetti, A., de Horatio, L. T., van Dijkhuizen, P., Wang, A., Wesarg, S., Viceconti, M., Mazzà, C.; MD-PAEDIGREE Consortium (2019), “An image-based kinematic model of the tibiotalar and subtalar joints and its application to gait analysis in children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis”, Journal of Biomechanics
