Perceived body position in standing individuals with recent stroke.
OBJECTIVE
The ability to maintain balance can be affected by misperception of the body position in space that is common in individuals with a stroke. The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether individuals with recent stroke could participate in assessment of their perceived body position in standing.


METHODS
Eight individuals who sustained a stroke and who exhibited visiospatial problems and eight healthy control subjects participated in the study. They were positioned on a platform that was tilted in toes up/down or left/right directions and identified the position of their body when they felt that the body was vertical when the platform on which they were standing was returning back to a horizontal position after being tilted.


RESULTS
Mean errors in perceived antero-posterior platform position were 1.75±0.25deg in patients and 0.66±0.28deg in control subjects (p<0.05). In the lateral plane mean errors in perceived platform position were 1.64±0.32deg in patients and 0.54±0.07deg in control subjects (p<0.05). Patients identified perceived body position approximately three times worse than control subjects in both anterior-posterior and lateral planes.


CONCLUSIONS
This technique may be used for assessment of perceived body position in standing.


CONCLUSIONS
Objective measurement of perceived body position in standing could help to better understand the stroke-related disability.
Rao
Noel
N
Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, Wheaton, IL 60612, USA.
Nashner
Lew
L
Aruin
Alexander S
AS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*