Postural control during quiet standing and voluntary stepping response tasks in individuals post-stroke: a...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Post-stroke postural control impairments significantly affect mobility, independence, and fall risk in individuals post-stroke (IPS).
• Assessing postural control during functional tasks like quiet standing (QS) and voluntary stepping response (VSR) is crucial for understanding stroke-related deficits.
• This understanding can guide the development of effective fall prevention strategies for IPS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize specific postural control impairments in individuals post-stroke (IPS) during quiet standing (QS) and voluntary stepping response (VSR).

Main Methods:

• Twenty individuals post-stroke (IPS) and 16 healthy controls performed QS and VSR tasks.
• Ground reaction forces and whole-body motion were measured to analyze center of mass (COM) and center of pressure (COP) dynamics.
• Spatiotemporal data and kinematic variables were calculated and compared between groups.

Main Results:

• During QS, IPS demonstrated greater mediolateral COP displacement, vertical COM displacement, and COM speed excursions compared to controls.
• During VSR, IPS showed reduced step length, braking force, posterior foot placement, and anteroposterior COM excursion.
• Overall, IPS exhibited diminished static and dynamic postural stability compared to healthy individuals.

Conclusions:

• Increased postural sway during QS and altered VSR contribute to a higher fall risk for IPS in community settings.
• These findings enhance the understanding of postural control deficits post-stroke.
• The results underscore the importance of considering these specific impairments in the rehabilitation of individuals post-stroke (IPS).