Isokinetic Analysis of Trunk Muscles in Stroke Patients and its Association with Functional Parameters

The purpose of our study is to investigate the association of balance, motor and functional development parameters with trunk muscles via isokinetic analysis in stroke patients due to cerebrovascular event.

The study included 91 stroke patients and 28 healthy controls. Brunnstroom staging (BS) for motor functions, functional independence measurement (FIM) and Barthel index (BI) for disability, Berg balance scale (BBS) balance test for balance, Rivermead motor evaluation (RMA) for mobility, and mini-mental test (MMT) for cognitive function were used. Strength and proprioception measurements of patients and controls' trunk extensor and flexor muscles were evaluated via exercise system and isokinetic test.

A strong positive correlation was found between FIM total score and lower-extremity Brunnstrom staging (p < 0.001). A strong positive correlation was found between trunk control test (TCT), and FIM total scores (p < 0.001, r = 0.892), BI (p < 0.001, r = 0.799) and BBS (p = 0.01, r = 0.885). Isokinetic muscle strength values of controls were found statistically significantly higher than those in patients with stroke (p < 0.001). Trunk control and proprioception were poor in patients with stroke compared to the control group (p <0.001). Trunk muscles performance measures were significantly associated with balance and functional parameters. However, no significant relationship was found between the angular values of trunk muscle proprioception and clinical parameters in patients with stroke.

In stroke patients, trunk muscles were weak and trunk proprioception was impaired. So, inserting exercise programs to strengthen trunk muscles and improve trunk proprioception through isokinetic dynamometers or conventional methods into the rehabilitation programs of patients with muscle weakness and proprioception disorder may provide a better functional development.