title: Effects of walking endurance reduction on gait stability in patients with stroke.
abstract: Control of gait is usually altered following stroke, and it may be further compromised by overexertion and fatigue. This study aims to quantitatively assess patients' gait stability during six-minute walking, measuring upper body accelerations of twenty patients with stroke (64 ± 13 years old) and ten age-matched healthy subjects (63 ± 10 years old). Healthy subjects showed a steady gait in terms of speed and accelerations over the six minutes. Conversely, the patients unable to complete the test (n = 8) progressively reduced their walking speed (-22 ± 11%, confidence interval CI(95%): -13, -29%, P = 0.046). Patients able to complete the test (n = 12) did not vary their walking speed over time (P = 0.493). However, this ability was not supported by an adequate capacity to maintain their gait stability, as shown by a progressive increase of their upper body accelerations (+5 ± 11%, CI(95%): -1; +12%, P = 0.010). Walking endurance and gait stability should be both quantitatively assessed and carefully improved during the rehabilitation of patients with stroke.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory of Experimental Neurorehabilitation, Santa Lucia Foundation I.R.C.C.S., via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iosa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pratesi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bragoni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coiro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Multari
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Venturiero
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Angelis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paolucci