title: Is it correct to always consider weight-bearing asymmetrically distributed in individuals with hemiparesis?
abstract: Injuries may cause unilateral deterioration of brain areas related to postural control resulting in lateralized motor disability with abnormal asymmetry in weight-bearing distribution. Although overloading toward the nonaffected limb has been described as the preferred posture among individuals with hemiparesis, characterization of the weight-bearing asymmetry is poorly and indirectly described. Therefore, this study aimed to describe weight-bearing distribution during upright stance, establishing criteria to consider asymmetry in hemiparesis when analyzed within the limits defined by controls matched by age and gender. Forty subjects with (n = 20) or without hemiparesis (n = 20) were included in procedures to record weight-bearing values between hemibodies, and these values were used to calculate a symmetry ratio. Control presented 95% confidence interval (CI) of the mean for symmetry ratio ranging from 0.888 to 1.072, defining limits to symmetry. Four subjects with hemiparesis (20%) had symmetry ratios inside limits defined by controls (i.e., weight-bearing symmetrically distributed), and 11 (55%) subjects without hemiparesis showed symmetry ratios outside the limits, suggesting asymmetrical weight-bearing distribution. It was concluded that asymmetry, when present in a control group, was more frequently overloading nonpredominantly used hemibody (nondominant side), differing from a hemiparesis group commonly forced to assume the nonaffected side as the predominantly used hemibody and where the overload was observed.
authors: Faculty of Ceilandia, University of Brasilia, Brazil. efmartins@ unb.br
authors: Emerson Fachin
authors: EF
authors: Martins
authors: Paulo Henrique Ferreira
authors: PH
authors: de Araujo Barbosa
authors: Lidiane Teles
authors: LT
authors: de Menezes
authors: Pedro Henrique Côrtes
authors: PH
authors: de Sousa
authors: Abraão Souza
authors: AS
authors: Costa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D016474:Weight-Bearing