Spatiotemporal variability after stroke reflects more than just slow walking velocity

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Spatiotemporal gait variability is a biomarker for aging and pathology, predicting falls.
• In stroke survivors, it's unclear if gait variability stems from pathology or walking velocity.
• This study investigates the direct relationship between gait variability and motor deficits post-stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if increased spatiotemporal gait variability in stroke survivors is directly related to motor coordination deficits.
• To differentiate the influence of pathology versus walking velocity on gait variability.

Main Methods:

• Forty individuals with stroke completed the lower-extremity motor coordination test (LEMOCOT) and a 120-second treadmill walk.
• Gait variability metrics (step time, length, velocity, width) and LEMOCOT scores (in-target touch count, absolute/variable error) were analyzed.
• Linear modeling assessed correlations between gait variability and LEMOCOT outcomes, controlling for walking velocity.

Main Results:

• Step time, length, and width variability correlated with walking velocity; step velocity variability did not.
• After controlling for velocity, LEMOCOT scores correlated with step time variance.
• LEMOCOT variable error correlated with step length, width, and velocity variance; absolute error showed no significant correlation.

Conclusions:

• Reduced motor coordination in stroke survivors is associated with increased spatiotemporal gait variability, independent of walking velocity.
• This study establishes a link between lower-extremity coordination impairments and gait function deficits in the stroke population.