Background and Objetives: The foot is a part of the body’s kinetic chain and needs to be
efficient during the entire gait cycle. Electronic Sensor Gait analysis is useful and an important tool
within the area of podiatry to assess the physical state of patients that helps the comprehensive
intervention in situations where the daily activity is limited. The aim of this research is to evaluate
if the presence of a hallux limitus (HL) can alter gait space–time parameters and consequently can
affect the take-off phase of the gait and the limitation of the range of motion (ROM) of the hallux.
Materials and Methods: A case–control study was designed to verify whether there are alterations in
the spatiotemporal parameters of the gait cycle between subjects with structural HL compared to the
group of subjects with a normal hallux range. A total of n = 138 participants, cases (68 HL subjects)
and healthy controls (70 subjects) were studied using an OptoGait LED sensor system to identify
gait imbalances using OptoGait photocell gait analysis sensors. Results: Significant differences were
found between the two groups with respect to stride length, gait cycle duration in seconds (for both
feet) and for total stride and load response (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The limitation of the Hallux ROM
may alter the normal gait patterns measured with an Optogait system. The early identification and
treatment of gait disturbances due to HL are important to achieve normal gait physical activity to
maintain a healthy lifestyle.
