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Effects of Walking Endurance Reduction on Gait Stability in Patients with Stroke

2011; Hindawi Publishing Corporation; Volume: 2012; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1155/2012/810415

2090-8105

Marco Iosa, Giovanni Morone, Augusto Fusco, Luca Pratesi, Maura Bragoni, Paola Coiro, M. Multari, Vincenzo Venturiero, Domenico De Angelis, Stefano Paolucci,

Cerebral Palsy and Movement Disorders

Control of gait is usually altered following stroke, and it may be further compromised by overexertion and fatigue. This study aims to quantitatively assess patients' gait stability during six-minute walking, measuring upper body accelerations of twenty patients with stroke ( 6 4 ± 1 3 years old) and ten age-matched healthy subjects ( 6 3 ± 1 0 years old). Healthy subjects showed a steady gait in terms of speed and accelerations over the six minutes. Conversely, the patients unable to complete the test ( 𝑛 = 8 ) progressively reduced their walking speed (− 2 2 ± 1 1 %, confidence interval CI 95% : −13, −29%, 𝑃 = 0 . 0 4 6 ). Patients able to complete the test ( 𝑛 = 1 2 ) did not vary their walking speed over time ( 𝑃 = 0 . 4 9 3 ). However, this ability was not supported by an adequate capacity to maintain their gait stability, as shown by a progressive increase of their upper body accelerations (+ 5 ± 1 1 %, CI 95% : −1; +12%, 𝑃 = 0 . 0 1 0 ). Walking endurance and gait stability should be both quantitatively assessed and carefully improved during the rehabilitation of patients with stroke.