title: Effects of ankle proprioceptive interference on locomotion after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of vibration-induced ankle proprioceptive interference on the locomotion of patients with stroke with intact and impaired ankle joint position sense (JPS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rehabilitation department in a tertiary hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulatory patients (N=35) with unilateral stroke received an ankle joint repositioning test and were classified into intact (n=16) or impaired (n=19) JPS group.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  The plantar sensitivity and leg muscle strength were tested. Patients were instructed to walk at a self-selected pace on a computerized pressure sensor walkway under 3 conditions: no, affected, or unaffected Achilles' tendon vibration. The stride characteristics of the affected limb were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with intact and impaired JPS did not differ in their plantar sensitivity or leg muscle strength. The differences in the stride characteristics were nonsignificant between vibration and nonvibration conditions. Shorter single support and longer swing phase were found with the affected side vibration compared with the unaffected side vibration. Patients with intact and impaired JPS did not respond to the proprioceptive interference differently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After stroke, there could be changes in the central sensory regulation for locomotion control and vibration-induced afferent inputs from the ankle might be viewed as sensory disturbances. Further studies that manipulate other sensory inputs are needed to gain a better understanding of the central sensory integration for locomotion control after stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Institute of Allied Health, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. lin31@mail.ncku.edu.tw
authors.forename: Sang-I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Li-Ju
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hui-Chung
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome