1. Temporal-Spatial Gait Characteristics in Youths with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos
By: Nicole Vigon

2. Quantify temporal-spatial parameters of gait in youths with HEDS
Goal
Quantify temporal-spatial parameters of gait in youths with HEDS

3. Introduction hEDS is a disorder that affects connective tissues [1]
Primarily skin, joints and blood vessel walls
1 in 5000 individuals have hEDS [2]
Symptoms include overly flexible joints that can dislocate
Creating joint instability leading to early-onset osteoarthritis [6]
Study of gait parameters developed for adults [3]
Currently a lack of knowledge on the effect of these symptoms on the gait of youths with hEDS

4. Methods

5. Subjects
Five (5) children with hEDS
Two males and three females
Mean age of 14.6 (2.6) years old
Mean height: (22.33) cm
Mean weight: 57.5 (10.37) kg

6. Data Collection (Fig. 1)
15 camera Vicon MX system: 120 Hz
Task: Gait at self-selected, fast and slow- pace
Data Processing
5 gait cycles per subject analyzed
Gait cycle divisions identified by:
Heel strike (HS) and toe off (TO) allows walking trials to be broken up into gait cycles consisting of a stance and swing phase

7. Results Speed Stride Length (m) Cadence (strides/min)
Walking Speed (m/s)
Percent of gait cycle in single leg support (%)
Percent of gait cycle in initial double support (%)
Self- Selected
1.40 (0.05)
57.31 (1.86)
1.34 (0.08)
39.74 (1.99)
19.59 (1.68)
Fast
1.68 (0.09)
75.64 (3.82)
2.11 (0.16)
42.21 (1.64)
14.71 (2.38)
Slow
1.31 (0.05)
40.26 (3.68)
0.88 (0.09)
34.56 (2.23)
31.65 (3.30)

8. Discussion
When compared to healthy gait the averages of youths with hEDS fell within normal ranges
The motion analysis methods effectively characterized temporal-spatial parameters in youths with hEDS
Investigation in a larger population is ongoing to characterize the temporal-spatial parameters in youths with hEDS

9. Conclusion
Identification of differences between those with hEDS and healthy individuals may provide insight to the development of pain and injury increase over time.
With this knowledge physical therapists may be able to work with hEDS patients to effectively decrease their risk of early-onset osteoarthritis.

10. References Acknowledgments
Beighton P, et al. Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, 77:31-37, 1998.
Tinkle B, et al. Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome 175C:48-69, 2017.
Rombaut, L, et al. Balance, Gait, Falls, and Fear of Falling in Women With the Hypermobility Type of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome 1432–1439, 2011.
Sutherland et al. Normal Gait 1988
Whittle Gait Analysis 1990
Pepin, Melanie, et al. "Clinical and genetic features of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome type IV, the vascular type." New England Journal of Medicine  (2000):
Supported by the Genetic Center of the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. A special thanks to the Stimulus Package to Accelerate Research Clusters (SPARC) grant and the Support of Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) grant.

11. Questions?