Yoshiteru Akezaki1, Shunichi Yasuda2, Katumi Hamaoka1, Yoshinobu Yoshimoto1, Susumu Yoshimura1, Takuo Nomura3, Hiroshi Yamasaki4, Atushi Sato5. 1. Department of Rehabilitation, Koseinenkin Kochi Rehabilitation Hospital, Kochi 780-8040, Japan. 2. Department of Orthopaedics, Koseinenkin Kochi Rehabilitation Hospital, Kochi 780-8040, Japan. 3. Department of Physical Therapy, School of Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka 583-8555, Japan. 4. Department of Physical Therapy, Kochi Rehabilitation Institute, Kochi 781-1102, Japan. 5. Faculty of Human Life and Environmental Science, Department of Health Science, Kochi Women's University, Kochi 780-8515, Japan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The obstacle negotiation gait (ONG) is a fundamental activity of daily living. In cerebrovascular hemiplegic patients (stroke patients), the weight-bearing rate (WBR) on the paretic limb necessary for an independent ONG was studied. METHODS: One hundred and seventeen stroke patients were involved. The patients' average age at the time of the study was 67 years, and the average time from stroke onset was 102 days. There were 68 men and 49 women. Seventy patients were right hemiplegics, and 47 were left hemiplegics. The correlations between ONG and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), time from stroke onset, muscle strength of both the paretic and non-paretic limbs, Brunnstrom stage of the lower limbs, deep sensation, and the WBR on both the paretic and non-paretic limbs were studied. Patients who could perform ONG independently and safely were categorized as the independent group (IG), and those who needed observation or any assistance were categorized as the dependent group (DG). RESULTS: The BMI, muscle strength of both the paretic and non-paretic limbs, Brunnstrom stage of the lower limbs, deep sensation and the WBR for both the paretic and non-paretic limbs were significantly different between the IG and DG groups. In particular, the WBR on the paretic limb was found to correlate significantly with the ONG, and a WBR value of 80.5% on the paretic limb gave a clear cut-off value. CONCLUSION: Although multiple factors influenced the ONG of stroke patients, the WBR on the paretic limb was the most influential.
PURPOSE: The obstacle negotiation gait (ONG) is a fundamental activity of daily living. In cerebrovascular hemiplegicpatients (strokepatients), the weight-bearing rate (WBR) on the paretic limb necessary for an independent ONG was studied. METHODS: One hundred and seventeen strokepatients were involved. The patients' average age at the time of the study was 67 years, and the average time from stroke onset was 102 days. There were 68 men and 49 women. Seventy patients were right hemiplegics, and 47 were left hemiplegics. The correlations between ONG and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), time from stroke onset, muscle strength of both the paretic and non-paretic limbs, Brunnstrom stage of the lower limbs, deep sensation, and the WBR on both the paretic and non-paretic limbs were studied. Patients who could perform ONG independently and safely were categorized as the independent group (IG), and those who needed observation or any assistance were categorized as the dependent group (DG). RESULTS: The BMI, muscle strength of both the paretic and non-paretic limbs, Brunnstrom stage of the lower limbs, deep sensation and the WBR for both the paretic and non-paretic limbs were significantly different between the IG and DG groups. In particular, the WBR on the paretic limb was found to correlate significantly with the ONG, and a WBR value of 80.5% on the paretic limb gave a clear cut-off value. CONCLUSION: Although multiple factors influenced the ONG of strokepatients, the WBR on the paretic limb was the most influential.
Authors: T Rantanen; J M Guralnik; G Izmirlian; J D Williamson; E M Simonsick; L Ferrucci; L P Fried Journal: Am J Phys Med Rehabil Date: 1998 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.159