The main limitation of previous research into gait patterns in
people with neuropathy was the difficulty in delineating stability-
related variables from the confounding influence of walking
speed. Although it appears that reduced walking speed is a
compensatory strategy used by these patients to maintain trunk
stability, the fact that they are, nevertheless, still more likely to
fall suggests that some aspect of their gait predisposes them to
an increased risk of a loss of balance when walking. In a
previous study,18 we showed that the measurement of acceleration
patterns of the head and pelvis can be used as an indicator
of whole body balance when walking on different surfaces. The
purpose of this study was to determine whether acceleration
patterns when walking differ between people with neuropathy
and nonneuropathic controls, thereby providing insights into
the high rates of falls in these patients.