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Motor Dual-Tasks for Gait Analysis and Evaluation in Post-Stroke Patients
Published on: March 11, 2021
Changes in postural control in hemiplegic patients after stroke performing a dual task.
Laurent Bensoussan1, Jean-Michel Viton, Marco Schieppati
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Mediterranean, Public Hospital System of Marseilles, University Hospital la Timone, Marseilles, France. laurent.bensoussan@ap-hm.fr
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|August 7, 2007
Summary
Attentional tasks and eyes-closed conditions significantly impair postural control in hemiplegic patients. Healthy individuals showed no such decline, indicating dual-tasking challenges specific to hemiplegia, influenced by age.
Area of Science:
- Neurorehabilitation
- Biomechanics
- Human Motor Control
Background:
- Postural control is crucial for mobility and independence.
- Hemiplegic patients often exhibit impaired balance, increasing fall risk.
- The impact of cognitive load on postural stability in hemiplegia requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of an attentional task on the postural control of hemiplegic patients.
- To compare postural performance under different sensory and cognitive conditions.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study involving 23 hemiplegic patients and 23 healthy controls.
- Postural sway (area and path) was measured using center of pressure during eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC), and EO with an arithmetic task (EO-AT).
Main Results:
- Hemiplegic patients demonstrated significantly increased sway area with EC and during the EO-AT compared to EO.
- Postural sway in hemiplegic patients during EO-AT was less than with EC but still significantly impaired.
- Healthy subjects showed no significant difference in sway between EO-AT and EO conditions.
- Increased sway in hemiplegic patients during EO-AT correlated with age.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive demands, similar to sensory deprivation (eyes closed), negatively impact postural control in hemiplegic individuals.
- Healthy subjects' postural control remains unaffected by concurrent cognitive tasks.
- This study highlights the age-dependent vulnerability of hemiplegic patients to dual-tasking challenges.
