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Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion
Published on: January 15, 2016
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Persons post-stroke improve step length symmetry by walking asymmetrically
Purnima Padmanabhan1,2, Keerthana Sreekanth Rao1,3, Shivam Gulhar1,4,5
1Center for Movement Studies, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 707 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation
|August 5, 2020
Summary
Achieving symmetric steps after stroke remains effortful due to underlying gait asymmetries and impaired paretic limb propulsion, increasing metabolic cost.
Area of Science:
- Neurorehabilitation
- Biomechanics
- Human Movement Science
Background:
- Step length symmetry is a key goal in post-stroke rehabilitation.
- Despite achieving symmetric steps, walking remains effortful for stroke survivors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how individuals post-stroke generate symmetric steps.
- To explore the relationship between symmetric stepping mechanics and metabolic cost of transport.
Main Methods:
- Nine individuals post-stroke walked on an instrumented treadmill.
- Kinematic, kinetic, and metabolic data were collected during preferred and symmetric stepping conditions.
Main Results:
- Gait remained asymmetric even with symmetric step lengths.
- Impaired paretic propulsion and aberrant center of mass movement were observed.
- Reduced paretic limb work correlated with higher metabolic cost and slower walking speed.
Conclusions:
- Mechanics of symmetric stepping are crucial for stroke rehabilitation interventions.
- Further research is needed on multi-dimensional gait asymmetry and its link to metabolic cost post-stroke.
