title: Interlimb coordination during the stance phase of gait in subjects with stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the relation between contralesional and ipsilesional limbs in subjects with stroke during step-to-step transition of walking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational, transversal, analytical study with a convenience sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects (n=16) with poststroke hemiparesis with the ability to walk independently and healthy controls (n=22).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bilateral lower limbs electromyographic activity of the soleus (SOL), gastrocnemius medialis, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, rectus femoris, and vastus medialis (VM) muscles and the ground reaction force were analyzed during double-support and terminal stance phases of gait.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The propulsive impulse of the contralesional trailing limb was negatively correlated with the braking impulse of the leading limb during double support (r=-.639, P=.01). A moderate functional relation was observed between thigh muscles (r=-.529, P=.035), and a strong and moderate dysfunctional relation was found between the plantar flexors of the ipsilesional limb and the vastus medialis of the contralesional limb, respectively (SOL-VM, r=-.80, P<.001; gastrocnemius medialis-VM, r=-.655, P=.002). Also, a functional moderate negative correlation was found between the SOL and rectus femoris muscles of the ipsilesional limb during terminal stance and between the SOL (r=-.506, P=.046) and VM (r=-.518, P=.04) muscles of the contralesional limb during loading response, respectively. The trailing limb relative impulse contribution of the contralesional limb was lower than the ipsilesional limb of subjects with stroke (P=.02) and lower than the relative impulse contribution of the healthy limb (P=.008) during double support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings obtained suggest that the lower performance of the contralesional limb in forward propulsion during gait is related not only to contralateral supraspinal damage but also to a dysfunctional influence of the ipsilesional limb.
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior da Tecnologia de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Área Científica de Fisioterapia, Centro de Estudos de Movimento e Actividade Humana, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal; Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Andreia S P
authors.initials: ASP
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior da Tecnologia de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Área Científica de Fisioterapia, Centro de Estudos de Movimento e Actividade Humana, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior da Tecnologia de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Área Científica de Fisioterapia, Centro de Estudos de Movimento e Actividade Humana, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rubim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biomecânica do Porto, Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Filipa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica e Gestão Industrial, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: tavares@fe.up.pt.
authors.forename: João Manuel R S
authors.initials: JMRS
authors.lastname: Tavares
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
keywords: BF; Electromyography; GM; Gait; RF; Rehabilitation; SOL; TA; VM; biceps femoris; gastrocnemius medialis; rectus femoris; soleus; tibialis anterior; vastus medialis