Proprioception After Unilateral Stroke: Changes in the Affected and Unaffected Lower Limbs Over Time.
Jinyao Xu, Jeremy Witchalls, Elisabeth Preston and 5 others
PMID 39800854WHAT IT FOUND
Ankle proprioception declined linearly over time after unilateral stroke, affecting both the injured and the seemingly healthy leg.
The unaffected side could not serve as a reliable baseline. Clinicians should assess both limbs and monitor deficits from the acute phase onwards.
Key findings
01Ankle proprioception scores showed a significant linear decline as time since stroke increased, with the same rate of decline on both the affected and unaffected sides.
02Proprioceptive acuity on the unaffected side was significantly lower than in healthy controls for subacute and chronic stroke groups, meaning it cannot always be used as a reference value.
03Stroke survivors had significantly lower proprioception scores than healthy adults, except for the unaffected side during the acute phase.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The AMEDA test requires standing and active ankle movement, so results do not apply to stroke survivors who cannot stand or move their ankle. The study did not control for or analyze the effects of stroke severity (NIHSS), lesion location, or type on proprioceptive changes. As a cross-sectional design, it compares different people at different times rather than tracking the same individuals, which may introduce variability. Participants received standard physiotherapy and occupational therapy during their hospital stay, which could influence recovery trajectories, though this was not specifically analyzed as a variable.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the unaffected leg is a safe baseline for comparison. The study found that proprioception on the unaffected side also declined significantly over time and was worse than in healthy adults, except in the very acute phase.