title: Forward propulsion asymmetry is indicative of changes in plantarflexor coordination during walking in individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A common measure of rehabilitation effectiveness post-stroke is self-selected walking speed, yet individuals may achieve the same speed using different coordination strategies. Asymmetry in the propulsion generated by each leg can provide insight into paretic leg coordination due to its relatively strong correlation with hemiparetic severity. Subjects walking at the same speed can exhibit different propulsion asymmetries, with some subjects relying more on the paretic leg and others on the nonparetic leg. The goal of this study was to assess whether analyzing propulsion asymmetry can help distinguish between improved paretic leg coordination versus nonparetic leg compensation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-dimensional forward dynamics simulations were developed for two post-stroke hemiparetic subjects walking at identical speeds before/after rehabilitation with opposite changes in propulsion asymmetry. Changes in the individual muscle contributions to forward propulsion were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The major source of increased forward propulsion in both subjects was from the ankle plantarflexors. How they were utilized differed and appears related to changes in propulsion asymmetry. Subject A increased propulsion generated from the paretic plantarflexors, while Subject B increased propulsion generated from the nonparetic plantarflexors. Each subject's strategy to increase speed also included differences in other muscle groups (e.g., hamstrings) that did not appear to be related to propulsion asymmetry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study highlight how speed cannot be used to elucidate underlying muscle coordination changes following rehabilitation. In contrast, propulsion asymmetry appears to provide insight into changes in plantarflexor output affecting propulsion generation and may be useful in monitoring rehabilitation outcomes.
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors: Jessica L
authors: JL
authors: Allen
authors: Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors: Steven A
authors: SA
authors: Kautz
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. Electronic address: rneptune@mail.utexas.edu.
authors: Richard R
authors: RR
authors: Neptune
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000843:Ankle Joint; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009142:Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; D010291:Paresis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Forward dynamic simulations; Gait; Post-stroke hemiparesis; Rehabilitation