Alison Schinkel-Ivy1, Jennifer S Wong2, Avril Mansfield3. 1. Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: alisons@nipissingu.ca. 2. Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 3. Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Reduced balance confidence is associated with impairments in features of balance and gait in individuals with subacute stroke. However, an understanding of these relationships in individuals at the chronic stage of stroke recovery is lacking. This study aimed to quantify the relationships between balance confidence and specific features of balance and gait in individuals with chronic stroke. METHODS: Participants completed a balance confidence questionnaire and clinical balance assessment (quiet standing, walking, and reactive stepping) at 6 months postdischarge from inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Regression analyses were performed using balance confidence as a predictor variable, and quiet standing, walking, and reactive stepping outcome measures as the dependent variables. RESULTS: Walking velocity was positively correlated with balance confidence, whereas mediolateral center of pressure excursion (quiet standing) and double support time, step width variability, and step time variability (walking) were negatively correlated with balance confidence. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insight into the relationships between balance confidence and balance and gait measures in individuals with chronic stroke, suggesting that individuals with low balance confidence exhibited impaired control of quiet standing as well as walking characteristics associated with cautious gait strategies. Future work should identify the direction of these relationships to inform community-based stroke rehabilitation programs for individuals with chronic stroke, and determine the potential utility of incorporating interventions to improve balance confidence into these programs.
BACKGROUND: Reduced balance confidence is associated with impairments in features of balance and gait in individuals with subacute stroke. However, an understanding of these relationships in individuals at the chronic stage of stroke recovery is lacking. This study aimed to quantify the relationships between balance confidence and specific features of balance and gait in individuals with chronic stroke. METHODS:Participants completed a balance confidence questionnaire and clinical balance assessment (quiet standing, walking, and reactive stepping) at 6 months postdischarge from inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Regression analyses were performed using balance confidence as a predictor variable, and quiet standing, walking, and reactive stepping outcome measures as the dependent variables. RESULTS: Walking velocity was positively correlated with balance confidence, whereas mediolateral center of pressure excursion (quiet standing) and double support time, step width variability, and step time variability (walking) were negatively correlated with balance confidence. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insight into the relationships between balance confidence and balance and gait measures in individuals with chronic stroke, suggesting that individuals with low balance confidence exhibited impaired control of quiet standing as well as walking characteristics associated with cautious gait strategies. Future work should identify the direction of these relationships to inform community-based stroke rehabilitation programs for individuals with chronic stroke, and determine the potential utility of incorporating interventions to improve balance confidence into these programs.
Authors: Avril Mansfield; Elizabeth L Inness; Jennifer S Wong; Julia E Fraser; William E McIlroy Journal: Neurorehabil Neural Repair Date: 2013-03-15 Impact factor: 3.919
Authors: C Gowland; P Stratford; M Ward; J Moreland; W Torresin; S Van Hullenaar; J Sanford; S Barreca; B Vanspall; N Plews Journal: Stroke Date: 1993-01 Impact factor: 7.914
Authors: Lara A Thompson; Mehdi Badache; Joao Augusto Renno Brusamolin; Marzieh Savadkoohi; Jelani Guise; Gabriel Velluto de Paiva; Pius Suh; Pablo Sanchez Guerrero; Devdas Shetty Journal: J Aging Res Date: 2021-11-26