SUMMARY
Aim: To provide quantitative evidence of the effect of rectus femoris (RF) transfer surgery on improving gait in adults suffering from stiff knee gait (SKG) following acquired brain injury. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Population: Hemiplegic patients with decreased peak knee flexion in swing, reduced total knee ROM and spasticity of the RF demonstrated by a positive Duncan-Ely test and a pathologic dynamic electromyography of the RF. Methods: 10 right hemiplegic patients had a distal RF transfer. Pre- and postoperative kinematic, kinetic, and spatiotemporal parameters derived from 3D gait analysis and parameters from clinical examinations were retrospectively compared. Results: All patients had improved gait. Statistically significant improvements were observed in walking velocity and peak knee flexion in swing (19.93°±11.80°), knee flexion velocity at toe-off (110.26°±65.74°) and total knee range of motion (20.78°±10.66°). Conclusion: RF transfer improves knee flexion in swing in adult patients suffering from SKG following stroke or TBI.