title: Kinematic analysis of upper limbs and trunk movement during bilateral movement after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the kinematics of the upper limbs and trunk during unilateral and parallel bilateral tasks in subjects with hemiparesis and control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Geriatric center offering rehabilitation services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of 15 persons (age, 69.4 +/- 12.0 y; > or = 3 mo poststroke) recruited in a geriatric center with rehabilitation services, and 13 control persons (67.8 +/- 7.5 y) participated in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unilateral and bilateral movements toward 1 or 2 targets located beyond arm's length and positioned in 3 directions. Angular changes of both upper limbs and trunk were characterized in the sagittal, frontal, and horizontal planes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the bilateral task, the deficits of the kinematic joints of the paretic upper limb persisted in subjects with hemiparesis as compared with the corresponding upper limb in the control subjects (abduction shoulder: subjects with hemiparesis, 5.7 degrees +/- 5.3 degrees; control subjects, 0.7 degrees +/- 4.8 degrees; extension elbow: subjects with hemiparesis, 38.2 degrees +/- 14.2 degrees; control subjects, 52.8 degrees +/- 12.5 degrees) with a marked flexion of the trunk (subjects with hemiparesis, 33.7 degrees +/- 8.7 degrees; control subjects, 26.8 degrees +/- 5.8 degrees). The elbow extension of the nonparetic upper limb was reduced (subjects with hemiparesis, 41.0 degrees +/- 13.6 degrees; control subjects, 52.8 degrees +/- 12.5 degrees).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of parallel bilateral reaching tasks and placing movements of the upper extremities in the subjects with hemiparesis contributed an increase in the trunk flexion rather than improve the motor performance of the paretic upper limb, especially with regard to increasing elbow extension.
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada. sylviemessier@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Messier
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bourbonnais
authors.forename: Johanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desrosiers
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Roy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013909:Thorax / Q000503:physiopathology*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*