Temporal coordination of the sit-to-walk task in subjects with stroke and in controls.
OBJECTIVE
To explore events and describe phases for temporal coordination of the sit-to-walk (STW) task, within a semistandardized set up, in subjects with stroke and matched controls. In addition, to assess variability of STW phase duration and to compare the relative duration of STW phases between the 2 groups.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
Research laboratory.


METHODS
A convenience sample of persons with hemiparesis (n=10; age 50-67y) more than 6 months after stroke and 10 controls matched for sex, age, height, and body mass index.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Relative duration of STW phases, SE of measurement in percentage of the mean, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).


RESULTS
Four STW phases were defined: rise preparation, transition, primary gait initiation, and secondary gait initiation. The subjects with stroke needed 54% more time to complete the STW task than the controls did. ICCs ranged from .38 to .66 and .22 to .57 in the stroke and control groups, respectively. SEs of measurement in percentage of the mean values were high, particularly in the transition phase: 54.1% (stroke) and 50.4% (controls). The generalized linear model demonstrated that the relative duration of the transition phase was significantly longer in the stroke group.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results extend existing knowledge by presenting 4 new phases of temporal coordination of STW, within a semistandardized set-up, in persons with stroke and in controls. The high degree of variability regarding relative STW phase duration was probably a result of both the semistandardized set up and biological variability. The significant difference in the transition phase across the 2 groups requires further study.
Frykberg
Gunilla E
GE
Department of Neuroscience/Rehabilitation Medicine, Uppsala University, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. gunilla.elmgren.frykberg@neuro.uu.se
Aberg
Anna Cristina
AC
Halvorsen
Kjartan
K
Borg
Jörgen
J
Hirschfeld
Helga
H
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*