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Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
Variability in spatiotemporal step characteristics and its relationship to walking performance post-stroke
Chitralakshmi K Balasubramanian1, Richard R Neptune, Steven A Kautz
1Department of Athletic Training and Physical Therapy, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, 32224, United States.
Gait & Posture
|December 6, 2008
Summary
Gait variability measures, such as step length and swing time, can effectively identify impaired walking performance after stroke. Increased variability in these measures correlates with poorer mobility outcomes in hemiparetic individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Gait variability is a potential indicator of mobility impairments.
- Its utility as a marker for post-stroke walking deficits remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if gait variability measures can serve as quantifiable markers of impaired walking performance in individuals post-stroke.
- To compare gait variability between individuals with hemiparesis and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Collected spatiotemporal gait data from 94 individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis and 22 healthy controls using an instrumented mat.
- Calculated gait variability using standard deviation of step lengths, stride widths, pre-swing, swing, and stride times.
- Assessed hemiparetic performance using Fugl-Meyer grading, dynamic gait index, and asymmetry index.
Main Results:
- Increased gait variability in step length, swing, pre-swing, and stride times was observed in hemiparetic walking compared to healthy gait (p<.001).
- Paretic leg swing time variability was significantly higher than non-paretic leg swing time variability (p<.001).
- Greater step variability and reduced width variability correlated with poorer outcomes, including severe hemiparesis, asymmetrical gait, and poor balance.
Conclusions:
- Between-leg differences in swing and pre-swing time variability, increased step length and stride time variability, and decreased width variability are quantifiable markers of impaired walking performance post-stroke.
- Gait variability patterns can distinguish subgroups within the hemiparetic population, offering insights into specific functional deficits.
