ProtoKinetics For Geriatricians
It’s very common for a patient to present with gait impairment or abnormality in a Geriatricians office.
For the elderly, changes in gait can indicate early stages of the disablement process, the beginning of cognitive impairment, stroke, osteoarthritis, ALS, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and other conditions.
Gait is recognized as an indicator of overall health in the elderly, making regular gait analysis a powerful tool to identify leading indicators of diseases and debilitating conditions. Gait speed has been shown to correlate with functional status and long-term survival.
Using observational or bedside diagnostics alone may miss subtle deviations in a patient’s gait, resulting in an incomplete analysis of their condition. Quantitative Gait Analysis (QGA) like that provided by the ProtoKinetics PKMAS gait analysis software and Zeno Walkway gait analysis system provide Geriatricians with precise gait data to examine the efficacy of disease modifying therapies (DMT), surgical procedures, and physical therapy interventions.
Gait deteriorates with age.
Gait disorders in the elderly frequently impair posture and the ability to correct orientation. This increases the likelihood of falling when a patient bends over or turns and leads to insecure walking due to the fear of falling.
After the age of 70, gait and balance impairment can increase by as much as 35% [1]. These gait abnormalities can be the result of central nervous system disorders such as stroke; peripheral nervous system disorders such as neuropathy; musculoskeletal disorders such as arthritis; cardiopulmonary disease such as COPD; and/or chronic or acute deconditioning.
PKMAS software and the Zeno Walkway mat are invaluable diagnostic tools for Geriatricians to accurately measure and analyze gait kinematics and gait kinetics data such as:
- temporal and spatial parameters
- coefficient of variation
- footfall
- relative pressure
- step and stride
- gait phase
- gait cycle
- velocity
- distance
- coordinates
- Center of Pressure (COP)
- static measurements such as quiet standing
- and more.
Measurable & Repeatable Data on Gait Analysis
ProtoKinetics gait analysis & assessment systems provide measurable and repeatable data on gait impairments.
This allows Geriatricians to measure gait precisely when first evaluating a patient and to measure their progress in walking, balance, and coordination as the intervention progresses.
When compared against a baseline measurement taken pre-intervention, this data can help verify efficacy of the intervention and determine when the effect of intervention has plateaued.
PKMAS gait analysis software and Zeno Walkway also offer an opportunity for Geriatrician office staffs to maximize efficiency, as staff can be trained in gait analysis data collection and a physical therapist or Geriatrician can interpret the parameters.
This also allows the Geriatrician to accurately observe how gait function changes over time during the patient’s treatment.
As healthcare quickly moves towards outcomes which require quantitative analysis, shorter hospital stays and increased function, measuring gait is very useful in tracking patient progress, functional loss or disability in elderly patients.
ProtoKinetics PKMAS software and Zeno Walkway provide the data to:
- Functional gait outcomes
- Testing treatment efficacy
- Track and report aging gait effects longitudinally
- Determine fall risk
- Compare gait using different assistive devices to determine optimal condition to minimize fall risk and maximize community activity
- Demonstrate to patients for understanding and increased compliance
- Send to insurance companies to justify clinical choices and speed reimbursement.
- Compare gait with and without additional cognitive loads and quantify changes