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Gender differences in patients with fibromyalgia: a gait analysis

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Abstract

This study analysed the spatio-temporal parameters, asymmetry, variability and bilateral coordination of gait in women and men with fibromyalgia and healthy subjects walking at their usual velocity and at a faster walking velocity. Fifty-five women and 12 men with fibromyalgia were analysed. A healthy group of 44 women and 17 men was analysed as the control group. A GAITRite system was used to obtain the spatio-temporal gait parameters for the participants when walking at their usual velocity and at a faster velocity. Coefficients of variation, bilateral coordination and gait asymmetry indexes were calculated. All groups exhibited a significant increase (p < 0.001) in spatio-temporal parameters when walking fast. The fibromyalgia groups showed increased bilateral coordination, asymmetry and variability of stance phase when walking fast. The fibromyalgia women showed significant spatio-temporal, variability and bilateral coordination of gait differences compared with the healthy women. The fibromyalgia men reported significant differences in velocity, cadence, stride length, swing time variability and stance gait asymmetry indices compared with the healthy men. No significant differences were observed between the men and women in the fibromyalgia groups. The findings of the present study did not support gender-specific differences in walking variables and indices in FM patients. The differences found between both genders of FM patients and healthy subjects in walking indices at fast velocities could be a useful tool for diagnoses and evaluation of male and female patients with FM during short-term fast walking tests.

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Acknowledgments

The work of Orantes-González, E was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Spain (ref. FPU13/00162, EST15/00019).

The research programme of the Faculty of Education, Economy & Technology of Ceuta, to support the editing of the manuscript was acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education, Economy & Technology of Ceuta, University of Granada, C/ Cortadura del Valle, s/n., 51001, Ceuta, Spain

    Jose Heredia-Jimenez

  2. HubemaLab: Human Behaviour & Motion Analysis Lab, University of Granada, Ceuta, Spain

    Jose Heredia-Jimenez & Eva Orantes-Gonzalez

  3. Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

    Eva Orantes-Gonzalez

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  1. Jose Heredia-Jimenez
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  2. Eva Orantes-Gonzalez
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Correspondence to Jose Heredia-Jimenez.

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Heredia-Jimenez, J., Orantes-Gonzalez, E. Gender differences in patients with fibromyalgia: a gait analysis. Clin Rheumatol 38, 513–522 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-018-4293-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-018-4293-x

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