Walking boots are a common form of durable medical equipment Orthopaedic surgeons prescribe both post-operatively and in the treatment of lower extremity injuries. Walking boots create a limb length discrepancy (LLD) which effects joint angles and moment arms in the lower extremities and the spine. These altered mechanics lead to reported back, hip, and knee pain in patients who are prescribed walking boots. Current walking boot literature evaluates gait and ground reaction forces (GRF), focusing primarily on the lower extremities, neglecting the remainder of the kinetic chain including the spine. Alternatively, there is a body of literature evaluating the effects of congenital LLD on spine and posture. However, there is paucity in the literature reporting both the effects of a walking boot on the entire kinematic chain and the subsequent effects of a corrective foot lift. The investigators seek to evaluate lower extremity and spinal kinematics using a motion analysis capture system with healthy subjects undergoing walking trials while wearing normal shoes, a walking boot, and a walking boot with contralateral foot lift. The investigators hypothesize a corrective foot lift will decrease the asymmetrical effects of a walking boot, recreating the kinematics of a more normal gait.
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Compare the differences in kinetics and kinematics of the spine during normal gait and wearing a walking boot
Timeframe: Day 1