Relation between gait speed, knee muscle torque and motor scores in post-stroke patients

A study was undertaken to investigate the relation between gait speed, motor function and isokinetic knee muscle torque in stroke victims. Two different gait speeds, freely chosen speed and fastest speed, were measured on a 10-m long walkway in 34 stroke victims (median age 71 years) three months after the stroke. At the same time different motor functions were assessed, and isokinetic knee muscle torque was measured. One year after the stroke 24 of the subjects were again investigated. The two gait speeds measured were both slower than those in normal healthy subjects of the same age. The motor assessment revealed that the group of stroke patients had light to moderately severe stroke symptoms. The isokinetic muscle torque was significantly lower in the paretic than in the non-paretic legs. The non-paretic legs were also weaker than the legs of healthy subjects. No significant changes in any of the measured variables were found between the three months' assessment and the one year post-stroke assessment. There were some significant correlations between gait speed and motor scores and between gait speed and muscle torque, but usually of moderate strength. Multiple regression analysis with gait speed as dependent variable and combined isokinetic muscle torque and three different motor scores as independent variables gave higher R values.