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Updated: Apr 14, 2026
Kinematic Analysis Using 3D Motion Capture of Drinking Task in People With and Without Upper-extremity Impairments
Published on: March 28, 2018
Alteration in the center of mass trajectory of patients after stroke
Insights
Analyzing the Center of Mass (CoM) motion reveals distinct gait disturbances in stroke survivors. This study quantifies altered CoM trajectories in hemiparetic patients compared to controls, offering insights into post-stroke movement disorders.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Stroke-induced movement disorders significantly impact the body's Center of Mass (CoM) motion.
- Analysis of CoM trajectory presents a novel approach for diagnosing gait disturbances after stroke, an area requiring further exploration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and analyze alterations in the CoM trajectory during gait cycles in post-stroke patients.
- To compare CoM motion in both affected and unaffected limbs of patients with healthy subjects.
Main Methods:
- Utilized gold-standard 3D kinematics and anthropometry to capture CoM trajectory.
- Compared a Hemiparetic Group (HG) of 14 chronic patients with a Control Group (CG) of 14 healthy individuals.
Main Results:
- Hemiparetic patients exhibited altered CoM motion, including increased lateral displacement and decreased vertical and forward displacement during the stance phase of the affected side.
- Significant changes were also observed in the swing phase, with higher lateral and vertical displacements and reduced forward motion.
- Anticipated timing of maximum lateral and vertical displacements and a reduced overall forward range were noted.
Conclusions:
- Center of Mass (CoM) trajectory analysis effectively highlights altered gait patterns in post-stroke individuals.
- Gait alterations were evident in both affected and unaffected limbs, particularly during the single support phase of the affected limb and the swing phase.
Background:
The movement disorders due to stroke can alter the motion of the Center of Mass (CoM) of the body. Thus, the analysis of the CoM motion can be an alternative to diagnostic the stroke gait disturbances and has not been widely explored.
Objective:
To identify and to analyze the alterations of CoM trajectory during both of gait cycles, affected and unaffected, of post-stroke patients comparing to healthy subjects.
Methods:
The CoM trajectory was obtained using a gold standard method, the three-dimensional (3D) kinematics associate to anthropometry. Two experimental groups were compared: Hemiparetic Group (HG) consisted of fourteen chronic hemiparetic patients and Control Group (CG) by fourteen able-bodied subjects.
Results:
The statistical analysis (P ≤ 0.05) revealed the following average gait alterations in the HG, in the stance phase of the affected side: higher lateral (midstance), lower vertical (midstance and terminal stance), and lower forward displacement (heel strike until terminal stance). In the swing phase of the affected side, HG showed higher lateral (preswing and initial swing) and vertical displacement (preswing until terminal swing), and lower forward (preswing until terminal swing) displacement of the CoM. There was also anticipation of the instants of maximum displacements in the lateral and vertical directions and lower total range in the forward direction.
Conclusion:
The CoM trajectory analysis pointed out that the gait after stroke was altered such in the affected as in the unaffected lower limbs, mainly in the single support phase of the affected side, but also in the swing phase of the gait cycle.
