Energy Cost of Walking with Hip Joint Impairment

Abstract

The energy cost of walking was measured in 12 patients (age 39–73 years) with hip joint impairment and 10 healthy controls during unassisted walking (2–6 km·h⁻¹) on a level treadmill surface and on a 5% incline. The energy cost of locomotion in most patients increased up to 50% and 70% during level-surface and uphill walking, respectively. This difference between patients and controls was probably due to the increased external mechanical work. The energy cost of walking, although related to pain experienced during walking but not to hip joint range of motion or to joint status evaluated radiographically, provides an additional variable when defining the conditions of disability and functional impairment in individuals with this pathological condition.