Recovery of standing balance and health-related quality of life after mild or moderately severe stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the physiologic and functional recovery of standing balance and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in people after mild and moderate stroke.


METHODS
Inception cohort study with evaluations at 1 month and 3 months poststroke.


METHODS
Laboratory.


METHODS
Twenty-nine volunteers who had sustained a stroke. Subjects were categorized into mild and moderate groups.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Functional balance was assessed (Clinical Outcome Variables Scale [COVS]) and physiologic measures (electromyography, postural sway) were taken when subjects stood quietly on a force platform and when they performed a rapid unilateral arm-raise perturbation. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was administered to evaluate HRQOL.


RESULTS
Subjects in the mild group were approaching maximal scores on the COVS (87.7+/-4.1/91) at 3 months poststroke, yet had significant impairment in paretic muscle activation patterns when compared with healthy subjects. Subjects in the moderate group had increased paretic muscle activation over the 2 months, accompanied by significant increases of 10.7+/-5.9 points on the COVS. For both groups, there was significantly less postural sway on the paretic than the nonparetic leg and significant improvements in the SF-36 (physical component) over time.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects recovering from a stroke showed a significant improvement in physical HRQOL and functional and physiologic balance, yet the physiologic balance recovery was not complete even in the mild group.
Garland
S Jayne
SJ
School of Physical Therapy, Elborn College, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada. jgarland@uwo.ca
Ivanova
Tanya D
TD
Mochizuki
George
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D010291:Paresis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation