Agnieszka Guzik1, Mariusz Drużbicki2, Grzegorz Przysada3, Agnieszka Brzozowska-Magoń4, Andżelina Wolan-Nieroda5, Andrzej Kwolek6. 1. Institute of Physiotherapy of University of Rzeszów, Warszawska 26 a, 35-205 Rzeszów, Poland. Electronic address: agnieszkadepa2@wp.pl. 2. Institute of Physiotherapy of University of Rzeszów, Warszawska 26 a, 35-205 Rzeszów, Poland. Electronic address: mdruzb@ur.edu.pl. 3. Institute of Physiotherapy of University of Rzeszów, Warszawska 26 a, 35-205 Rzeszów, Poland. Electronic address: g.przysada@interia.pl. 4. Institute of Physiotherapy of University of Rzeszów, Warszawska 26 a, 35-205 Rzeszów, Poland. Electronic address: brzoza_a@poczta.onet.pl. 5. Institute of Physiotherapy of University of Rzeszów, Warszawska 26 a, 35-205 Rzeszów, Poland. Electronic address: wolan.a@gmail.com. 6. Institute of Physiotherapy of University of Rzeszów, Warszawska 26 a, 35-205 Rzeszów, Poland. Electronic address: kwoleka@o2.pl.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There are few reports in the literature investigating the relationship between observational gait scales used to assess individuals after a stroke and objective data acquired from 3-dimensional gait analysis (3DGA). RESEARCH QUESTION: The objective of this study was to compare the relationship between the specific items of the Wisconsin Gait Scale (WGS) and the matching 3-dimensional (3D) spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters in individuals after a stroke. In this way we evaluated whether using the simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use, observational WGS can fully substitute for the very costly and time-consuming 3DGA. METHODS: The study group comprised 50 participants who had experienced a stroke and were in the chronic stage of recovery. The study participants' gait was evaluated by means of the WGS; spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters were examined in the Gait Laboratory with the use of the BTS Smart system. The 3D recording of gait was performed using 2 video cameras positioned in such a way that it was possible to obtain images in the frontal and the sagittal plane. RESULTS: The findings show strong (0.7 ≤ |R| < 0.9; p < 0.001) or very strong (0.9≤ |R| < 1; p < 0.001) correlation between the specific items of the WGS and the matching 3D gait parameters. SIGNIFICANCE: The WGS is a diagnostic tool useful for conducting observational gait analysis in people with post-stroke hemiparesis and in situations when the costly objective methods of gait assessment cannot be applied for various reasons, the scale may be an effective tool enabling the assessment of gait. The WGS may be particularly useful in the subacute period of stroke as video recording of walking takes considerably less time than 3DGA. The study has been registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: ACTRN12617000436370.
BACKGROUND: There are few reports in the literature investigating the relationship between observational gait scales used to assess individuals after a stroke and objective data acquired from 3-dimensional gait analysis (3DGA). RESEARCH QUESTION: The objective of this study was to compare the relationship between the specific items of the Wisconsin Gait Scale (WGS) and the matching 3-dimensional (3D) spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters in individuals after a stroke. In this way we evaluated whether using the simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use, observational WGS can fully substitute for the very costly and time-consuming 3DGA. METHODS: The study group comprised 50 participants who had experienced a stroke and were in the chronic stage of recovery. The study participants' gait was evaluated by means of the WGS; spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters were examined in the Gait Laboratory with the use of the BTS Smart system. The 3D recording of gait was performed using 2 video cameras positioned in such a way that it was possible to obtain images in the frontal and the sagittal plane. RESULTS: The findings show strong (0.7 ≤ |R| < 0.9; p < 0.001) or very strong (0.9≤ |R| < 1; p < 0.001) correlation between the specific items of the WGS and the matching 3D gait parameters. SIGNIFICANCE: The WGS is a diagnostic tool useful for conducting observational gait analysis in people with post-stroke hemiparesis and in situations when the costly objective methods of gait assessment cannot be applied for various reasons, the scale may be an effective tool enabling the assessment of gait. The WGS may be particularly useful in the subacute period of stroke as video recording of walking takes considerably less time than 3DGA. The study has been registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: ACTRN12617000436370.
Authors: Javier Marín; Teresa Blanco; José J Marín; Alejandro Moreno; Elena Martitegui; Juan C Aragüés Journal: PLoS One Date: 2019-10-30 Impact factor: 3.240