Relationship between gait regularity and harmony, and gait speed at discharge in inpatients with subacute stroke.
Tatsuya Igarashi, Yuta Tani, Ren Takeda and 1 others
PMID 36628137WHAT IT FOUND
In 16 subacute stroke inpatients, early trunk smoothness and vertical step regularity correlated with discharge walking speed.
This suggests monitoring vertical trunk movement stability during early gait, though the small sample and high baseline function limit broader application.
Key findings
01Gait speed at discharge showed a significant weak positive correlation with vertical step regularity and harmonic ratio (smoothness) measured at admission.
02Vertical step regularity and harmonic ratio remained significantly correlated with discharge walking speed even after adjusting for balance ability (Mini-BESTest).
03Stride regularity at admission did not show a significant correlation with walking speed at discharge.
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 sample size was very small (n=16), limiting the reliability of the correlations. Participants were highly functional at baseline (all could walk without aids, 75% had Brunnstrom score 6), so findings may not apply to patients with more severe motor paralysis. The study did not track outcomes after discharge, so it is unclear if these gait metrics predict real-world activity or fall risk outside the hospital. Rehabilitation interventions were not controlled, meaning differences in therapy content could influence results.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that stride regularity or mediolateral smoothness predicts walking speed in this population; only vertical step regularity and harmonic ratio showed significant associations. Furthermore, because the sample was small and highly functional, these metrics may not be useful for patients who cannot walk without aids.