title: Functional recovery of gait and joint kinematics after right hemispheric stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To gain insight into the relation between changes in gait patterns over time and functional recovery of walking ability in stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inpatient rehabilitation center of a university hospital in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen stroke patients admitted, or awaiting admission, for inpatient rehabilitation 3 weeks poststroke, and 16 healthy control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  At 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 weeks poststroke, functional recovery of walking ability was assessed with the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) and the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC). When possible, kinematics of the knee, hip, and pelvis were assessed through gait analysis in an 8 x 4 m gait laboratory. Minimal scores of 8 on the RMI and 4 on the FAC were necessary before patients were classified as functionally recovered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients whose joint kinematics during ambulation had recovered to within the range of the control group showed functional recovery of walking ability. However, some patients whose kinematics had developed toward an abnormal pattern also showed functional recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recovery of joint kinematics toward a normal pattern is not required for functional recovery of walking ability. Early recognition of compensatory walking patterns that facilitate functional recovery may have implications for rehabilitation programs.
authors.affiliation: Center for Rehabilitation, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands. R.B.Huitema@ppsw.rug.nl
authors.forename: Rients B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Huitema
authors.forename: At L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hof
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: Wiebo H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: Rienk
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: Klaas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Postema
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis / Q000503:physiopathology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation