Relação entre as características dos músculos glúteos e características biomecânicas da marcha: uma revisão crítica da literatura

Abstract

Gait analysis techniques have been used to provide quantitative information on locomotions kinematics and kinetics. However, only recently there has been a more comprehensive understanding of what occurs in muscles and joints during this activity. Studies have shown that the gluteus muscles should be focused because of the possible correlation between changes in their muscular characteristics and biomechanical changes found in the gait cycle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a critical review of the literature regarding the association between the characteristics of the gluteus muscles and the biomechanical characteristics of gait in healthy adults. Computerized searches were conducted in MEDLINE, PEDro, LILACS, BIREME and SCIELO using specific search strategies for each database, without language or date of publication restrictions. Among the 396 studies found, five met the established inclusion criteria (healthy subjects, walking on a flat surface, without any factor that could alter gait performance) and were included for the analysis. None of the included studies reported information about the characteristics of the gluteus minimum muscle. According to the included studies, the gluteus maximus muscle was mainly activated during the transition between the swing phase and the initial support, while the gluteus medius muscle was mainly activated in the stance phase. The amount of activation of the gluteus medius was similar in men and women throughout the gait cycle, but women showed greater activation of the gluteus maximus during the gait cycle and at different gait speeds. The association between the strength of hip abductor muscles (isokinetic measure) and hip adduction moment during gait was not observed. A large activation of the gluteus maximus muscle was associated with a rapid deceleration of the tibia movement in the frontal plane between 0-20% of the stance phase. Only a few published studies on this topic could be included since most of them presented analyses of the gluteus muscles characteristics during simulated gait in biomechanical models, which is an important limitation of this area.