Unstable gait due to spasticity of the rectus femoris : gait analysis and motor nerve block

Gross, R; Leboeuf, FY; Rémy-Néris, O; Perrouin-Verbe, B

Abstract

We present the case of a 54 year-old man presenting with a right Brown-Séquard plus syndrome (BSPS) after a traumatic cervical spinal cord injury. After being operated on with selective tibial neurotomy and triceps surae lengthening because of a right spastic equinus foot, he developed a gait disorder at high speed. The patient complained about an instability of the right knee. Observational gait analysis exhibited an oscillating, flexion/extension motion of the right knee during stance, which was confirmed by gait analysis. Dynamic electromyographic recordings exhibited a clonus of the right rectus femoris (RF) during stance. The spastic activity of the RF and the abnormal knee motion totally reversed after a motor nerve block of the RF, as well as after botulinum toxin type A injection into the RF. We emphasize that complex, spastic gait disorders can benefit from a comprehensive assessment including gait analysis and nerve blocks.

Citation

Gross, R., Leboeuf, F., Rémy-Néris, O., & Perrouin-Verbe, B. (2012). Unstable gait due to spasticity of the rectus femoris : gait analysis and motor nerve block. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 55(9-10), 609-622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rehab.2012.08.013

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 27, 2012
• Online Publication Date: Sep 25, 2012
• Publication Date: Sep 25, 2012
• Deposit Date: Oct 5, 2018
• Journal: Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
• Print ISSN: 1877-0657
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Volume: 55
• Issue: 9-10
• Pages: 609-622
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rehab.2012.08.013
• Keywords: brown-se,spinal cord injury
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rehab.2012.08.013
• Related Public URLs: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/annals-of-physical-and-rehabilitation-medicine