Changes in postural control in hemiplegic patients after stroke performing a dual task.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of an attentional task on hemiplegic patients' postural control performances.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Department of physical and rehabilitation medicine at a university hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-three hemiplegic patients and 23 healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Sway area and sway path of the center of pressure were measured during 30 seconds in standing subjects and patients under 3 conditions: eyes open (EO), EO while performing a simple arithmetic task (EO-AT), and eyes closed (EC).


RESULTS
In the hemiplegic patients, the body sway area increased significantly with EC (P<.001) and during the EO-AT task (P<.017) in comparison with EO. Sway area with EO-AT remained, however, significantly smaller than with EC (P<.014). In the healthy subjects, the body sway did not differ significantly between the EO-AT and EO tasks (P<.42). The increase observed in the sway area and path in the hemiplegic population during the EO-AT task correlated significantly with age.


CONCLUSIONS
The postural performances of hemiplegic patients decreased during both the arithmetic task and the EC task. The cognitive task had no effect on healthy subjects' postural performances. This study is the first to show the combined effects of age and dual task on the postural performances of hemiplegic subjects.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Mediterranean, Public Hospital System of Marseilles, University Hospital la Timone, Marseilles, France. laurent.bensoussan@ap-hm.fr
Laurent
L
Bensoussan
Jean-Michel
JM
Viton
Marco
M
Schieppati
Hervé
H
Collado
Virginie
V
Milhe de Bovis
Serge
S
Mesure
Alain
A
Delarque
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis