Comparison of the impact of a single session of isokinetic or isotonic muscle stretch on gait in patients with spastic hemiparesis.
OBJECTIVE
To establish if isokinetic and isotonic muscle stretch (with or without weight-bearing) of the ankle plantar flexors improves gait in hemiplegic patients. A further aim was to compare the effectiveness of these treatment methods.


METHODS
A randomized, parallel group prospective study.


METHODS
A stroke rehabilitation unit.


METHODS
Ambulatory hemiparetic stroke patients with mild to moderately severe muscle hypertonia of the lower limb and a group of healthy control subjects.


METHODS
Subjects were randomized to receive a single 20-min session of isokinetic muscle stretch or isotonic muscle stretch with or without weight-bearing.


METHODS
Selected kinematic, kinetic and spatio-temporal gait parameters were measured at baseline, immediately after the muscle stretch and 24 h later.


RESULTS
Sixty-six patients and 21 healthy control subjects were recruited and completed the study. There were statistically significant differences between the patient groups and the healthy subjects on most of the gait parameters studied. However, the differences between the patient groups or between the three measurements over time for each type of muscle stretch did not reach statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
A single session of isokinetic or isotonic muscle stretch (with or without weight-bearing) of the ankle plantar flexors has no clinically observable effect on the gait of hemiplegic stroke patients.
Maynard
V
V
Faculty of Health and Social Work, University of Plymouth, UK.
Bakheit
A M O
AM
Shaw
S
S
D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007551:Isotonic Contraction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D016474:Weight-Bearing