Motor Impairment and Its Influence in Gait Velocity and Asymmetry in Community Ambulating Hemiplegic Individuals.
Consuelo B Gonzalez-Suarez, Christine Grace V Ogerio, Angelo R Dela Cruz and 4 others
PMID 33778469WHAT IT FOUND
In 55 community ambulators with stroke, stronger ankle plantarflexors predicted faster walking and more symmetrical gait patterns.
Spasticity in the hip adductors and quadriceps was associated with greater asymmetry in swing time and step length, respectively.
Key findings
01Ankle plantarflexor strength was a positive predictor of gait speed.
02Ankle plantarflexor strength predicted symmetry in stance time, swing time, step length, single-limb stance time, and double-limb stance time.
03Hip adductor spasticity was a positive predictor of swing time asymmetry, and quadriceps spasticity was a positive predictor of step length asymmetry.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study only included community ambulators with mild to moderate motor impairment, so results do not apply to acute stroke patients or non-ambulators. Trunk and pelvic parameters were not assessed, which could influence spatiotemporal asymmetry. Manual muscle testing was used for strength assessment, which may underestimate weakness compared to dynamometry.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these predictors apply to all stroke patients. The study only included community ambulators with mild to moderate impairment, and the cross-sectional design shows association, not causation, so strengthening plantarflexors may not automatically improve gait symmetry in every patient.