Gait analysis of patients with distal radius fracture by using a novel laser Timed Up-and-Go system

Background: Postmenopausal women are at risk of fall and fracture with the physical decline. Distal radius fracture (DRF) is considered as the primary fragility fracture, and women with this fracture showed poor results in the usual Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test, indicating a decline in balance and physical ability. The detailed physical characteristics of female DRF patients have not been extensively examined. Research question: Is the novel laser TUG system able to detect and analyze the detailed gait characteristics in patients with DRF whose physical ability has tended to decline? Methods: In this cross-sectional case control study, the gait characteristics of 32 female patients with DRF who had undergone surgery were evaluated at 2 weeks postoperatively with a laser TUG system to analyze the detailed leg motion during normal TUG test. Forty-three age- and sex-matched non-fractured women were evaluated by the laser TUG system as controls. Lifestyle and present illness were corrected at the time of TUG measurement. Detailed data during laser TUG in both groups were compared statistically, and odds ratio and thread shod of the fracture was elucidated through a logistic regression analysis. Results: DRF patients showed slower speed and had to do more steps to complete the TUG test. Furthermore, asymmetric trajectory and significantly further distance from the marker were observed. Thirteen steps to complete the TUG test was the thread shod of DRF. Significance: Detailed gait characteristics of patients with DRF were detected by the laser TUG system. The gait decline and abnormality could be one of the reasons of consecutive fragility fracture. To prevent secondary fragility fractures, this system can be useful for screening.