Pathophysiological and motor factors associated with collision avoidance behavior in individuals with stroke
Daisuke Muroi1,2, Shosuke Ohtera3,4, Yutaro Saito5
1Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Division of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Chiba Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Chiba, Japan.
Neurorehabilitation
|October 24, 2022
Summary
Individuals with stroke who have poorer walking ability collide more often with obstacles. Lesion location and paralysis severity influence which side of the body leads when entering openings.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Individuals with stroke frequently collide with obstacles and enter openings from their non-paretic side.
- Understanding factors influencing collision and entry behavior is crucial for stroke rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors associated with collision avoidance behavior in individuals with stroke walking through narrow openings.
- To investigate the relationship between walking ability, pathophysiology, and obstacle negotiation.
Main Methods:
- Sixty-one individuals with stroke walked through a narrow opening, avoiding obstacles.
- Multiple regression analyses examined predictors like pathophysiology, motor function, and judgment ability.
- Collision rate and entry side (paretic vs. non-paretic) were key outcome variables.
Main Results:
- Slower Timed Up and Go test performance and greater left-right sway were linked to higher collision rates.
- Lesions in the thalamus, left-sided hemiplegia, and lower Brunnstrom stages (≤3) correlated with entering openings from the non-paretic side.
- Specific odds ratios and confidence intervals quantify these associations.
Conclusions:
- Improved walking ability may enhance collision avoidance in stroke survivors.
- Pathophysiological factors and paralysis severity influence preferred entry side into openings.
- Interventions should consider lesion location and its impact on avoidance behaviors.
