Gait symmetrical indexes and their relationships to muscle tone, lower extremity function, and postural balance in mild to moderate stroke

Abstract

Objective: To investigate asymmetrical gait characteristics and degree of associations between gait symmetrical indexes and clinical measures in a stroke population. Material and Method: Thirty patients with stroke participated in the present study. Clinical measures included muscle tone of affected hip adductors (HA), hip extensors (HE), knee extensors (KE), ankle plantarflexors (AP) and ankle invertors (AI), lower extremity function and postural balance. Symmetrical indexes of gait biomechanics included braking peak force (Y1), propulsive peak force (Y2), first peak vertical force (Z1) and second peak vertical force (Z2), step length, single support time (SST), step time, stance time and swing time were determined. Results: The symmetrical index of force was significantly related with muscle tone and lower extremity function. Temporospatial variables significantly related to muscle tone and lower extremity function, but not to postural balance. Conclusion: Muscle tone and lower extremity function were important for walking efficiency as the presented relationships with symmetrical gait characteristic in patients with a stroke.