Lucas Rodrigues Nascimento1, Kênia Kiefer Parreiras de Menezes2, Aline Alvim Scianni2, Iza Faria-Fortini3, Luci Fuscaldi Teixeira-Salmela2. 1. Center of Health Sciences, Discipline of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, ES, Brazil; NeuroGroup, Discipline of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: lrn@ufmg.br. 2. NeuroGroup, Discipline of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. 3. NeuroGroup, Discipline of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Department of Occupational Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationships between clinical measures and the ability to increase walking speed in ambulatory people with chronic stroke and to identify which measures would best predict walking speed reserve. METHODS: An exploratory, cross-sectional study was conducted with 114 individuals with chronic stroke. The outcome of interest was walking speed reserve, defined as the difference between individuals' comfortable and maximal walking speeds. Predictors were characteristics of the participants (age, sex, time since stroke, relative lower-limb dominance) and motor impairments (tonus, strength, and motor coordination). RESULTS: The characteristics of the participants did not significantly correlate with walking speed reserve. All measures of motor impairments, i.e., tonus, strength, and motor coordination, were significantly correlated with walking speed reserve (p < 0.01), but only motor coordination was kept in the regression model. Motor coordination alone explained 35% (F = 61.5; p < 0.001) of the variance in walking speed reserve. CONCLUSIONS: The level of motor coordination of the paretic lower limb is associated with the walking speed reserve of individuals with stroke. Interventions aimed at improving motor coordination may have the potential to improve everyday situations that require immediate increases in walking speed.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationships between clinical measures and the ability to increase walking speed in ambulatory people with chronic stroke and to identify which measures would best predict walking speed reserve. METHODS: An exploratory, cross-sectional study was conducted with 114 individuals with chronic stroke. The outcome of interest was walking speed reserve, defined as the difference between individuals' comfortable and maximal walking speeds. Predictors were characteristics of the participants (age, sex, time since stroke, relative lower-limb dominance) and motor impairments (tonus, strength, and motor coordination). RESULTS: The characteristics of the participants did not significantly correlate with walking speed reserve. All measures of motor impairments, i.e., tonus, strength, and motor coordination, were significantly correlated with walking speed reserve (p < 0.01), but only motor coordination was kept in the regression model. Motor coordination alone explained 35% (F = 61.5; p < 0.001) of the variance in walking speed reserve. CONCLUSIONS: The level of motor coordination of the paretic lower limb is associated with the walking speed reserve of individuals with stroke. Interventions aimed at improving motor coordination may have the potential to improve everyday situations that require immediate increases in walking speed.
Authors: Kênia Kiefer Parreiras de Menezes; Aline Alvim Scianni; Iza Faria-Fortini; Patrick Roberto Avelino; Christina D C M Faria; Luci Fuscaldi Teixeira-Salmela Journal: J Rehabil Med Date: 2015-06 Impact factor: 2.912
Authors: HaoYuan Hsiao; Louis N Awad; Jacqueline A Palmer; Jill S Higginson; Stuart A Binder-Macleod Journal: Neurorehabil Neural Repair Date: 2015-12-31 Impact factor: 3.919
Authors: Kristine K Miller; Stephanie A Combs; Marieke Van Puymbroeck; Peter A Altenburger; Jacob Kean; Tracy A Dierks; Arlene A Schmid Journal: Top Stroke Rehabil Date: 2013 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.119