title: Motor dysfunction of the "non-affected" lower limb: a kinematic comparative study between hemiparetic stroke and total knee prosthesized patients.
abstract: In patients with hemispheric stroke, abnormal motor performances are described also in the ipsilateral limbs. They may be due to a cortical reorganization in the unaffected hemisphere; moreover, also peripheral mechanisms may play a role. To explore this hypothesis, we studied motor performances in 15 patients with hemispheric stroke and in 14 patients with total knee arthroplasty, which have a reduced motility in the prosthesized leg. Using the unaffected leg, they performed five superimposed circular trajectories in a prefixed pathway on a computerized footboard, while looking at a marker on the computer screen. The average trace error was significantly different between the groups of patients and healthy subjects [F ((2,25)) = 7.9; p = 0.003]; on the contrary, the test time execution did not vary significantly. In conclusion, both groups of patients showed abnormal motor performances of the unaffected leg; this result suggests a likely contribution of peripheral mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Department, Fondazione Istituto San Raffaele-G.Giglio, 90015, Cefalù (PA), Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagnato
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boccagni
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boniforti
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trinchera
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guercio
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Letizia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galardi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D007720:Knee Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007866:Leg / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D010291:Paresis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology; D012021:Reflex, Abnormal / Q000502:physiology; D020886:Somatosensory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*